


I’d Wait A Million Autumns For You

by Thatonefanboy



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Character Death, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Medical Conditions, Nightmares, Slow Burn, idk how to tag lol, minor gore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-01-25 01:36:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 32,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21348115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatonefanboy/pseuds/Thatonefanboy
Summary: “Hey! I’m Mingi and it looks like we’re roommates now!” Yunho stared at Mingi with wide eyes. His smile was big and bright and his hair was more vibrant and red than the autumn leave outside.“Nice to meet you Mingi, I’m Yunho,” He smiled in return.Or, Yunho is in the hospital because of a heart condition and Mingi is there for a illness he’s keeping secret. The two immediately become the best of friends but, things can’t always be butterflies and rainbows, especially in a hospital.
Relationships: Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi
Comments: 9
Kudos: 57





	1. Chapter 1

_Yunho gasped for air as he clutched his chest. He could hear someone yelling but, couldn’t tell who it was. His ears were ringing and he felt like his eyes were burning with how bright the light was. He squirmed on the hard concrete as he continued to gasp, tremors started to rack his body and tears bubbled up in his eyes. _  
  
_ It felt like someone was reaching in his chest and squeezing his heart as hard as they could. The pain only increased as the seconds went by and he could hear more people yelling but couldn’t make out what they were saying. Yunho began to wheeze and desperately tried to get air into his weeping lungs. He could feel his vision starting to fade._

_ If someone was squeezing his heart earlier then it felt like they were ripping it out now. Like they were_ twisting_ and slowly ripping his heart out of his chest with a burning hot hand. _

_ “Yunho! Yunho please! Someone help!!”_

Yunho awoke with a gasp. He was sweating and breathing heavily. ‘_Breathe Yunho breath.’_He thought to himself as he tried to steady his breathing. It took the blonde a while but eventually he managed to get his breathing back to normal. He pushed his bangs up and out of his face and sighed as he stared up at the dark hospital ceiling.

What he just had was not only a nightmare but a flash back to a couple weeks ago when he has collapsed while leaving school with his friends. It happened out of nowhere, one minute he was smiling and laughing the next he was on the floor gasping for air. Hongjoong had been the one to call the ambulance and when they arrived he was immediately rushed to the hospital. 

He slowly sat up and turned his head towards the large hospital window. The moon was bright and illuminated the outside world. The autumn leaves looked even brighter in the pale white light, bright shades of red, orange, and yellow decorated the trees and hospital grounds.

_The leaves._  
  
They reminded him of his heart. Bright and vibrant but, slowly fading and dying. People had always said he had a big heart but, he never expected to literally have a big heart. One of his ventricles was larger then usual and was weakened because of it. He had been diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. Basically his heart wasn’t able to properly get blood to the rest of his body and also kept his heart from getting the right amount of blood it needed. 

When his mom found out about the diagnosis she cried. They were doing everything they could to treat it but there was no promises that’d he’d ever get better without a heart transplant and that was if he lived long enough to get one. When he told his friends his diagnosis they had all cried as a well but, Yunho like always smiled through it and assured them that he would get better. Even if he himself was terrified on the inside.

He was beyond scared. It was his last year in high school, he would be graduating soon. After that he was planning on going abroad to study dance a performing arts school which offered him a full ride scholarship. He wanted to be a dance instructor and have his own studio. To train everyone from average beginner dancers to rookie idols and the thought of losing all of that scared him.

He sighed and looked at the digital clock hanging on the wall. In bright red numbers it read 3:47. Yunho yawned and laid back down in bed. He could feel his eyes growing heavy as sleep started to take over him. He closed his eyes and pulled the covers up to his chin. Maybe this was all a bad dream and the next day he would wake up in his own bed at home.

* * *

* * *

“Good morning Yunho-ssi! How are you?” The nurse greeted him cheerfully as she checked his vitals. She was a short woman that had long brown hair and would always chat with Yunho while she checked his vitals or brought him dinner. His friends had class and his mother had work so they couldn’t always be there with him but, his nurse always managed to help him feel a little less lonely.

“I’m well noona thank you for asking.How are you?” He said politely with a small smile. “Im well thank you!” The nurse smiled brightly and continued to make small talk as she continued his check up. “We’re going to be administering some new medication that’s going to make you drowsy but should help a lot so hopefully you’ll be better and out of here soon!” Yunho hummed in response.

“Well then everything looks good, I’ll go get you breakfast since I’m sure a tall boy like you is starving. Oh! Speaking of tall boys you’re gonna be getting a roommate! I’m sure you get lonely being all alone in this big room and he’s being transferred here from another hospital so I decided to work my magic and get him in the same room as you.” She giggled and Yunho’s eyes widened a bit. A roommate? He couldn’t deny that he was lonely but if he was being honest he’d rather be alone then share a room with a stranger. However, the blonde was never one to complain. “Now I’m not sure when he will be arriving, it might not even be today, but I just wanted to be sure you wouldn’t be shocked to see another patient in your room.”

“Thank you noona I’m sure we’ll be the best of friends!”

Most of the day had been uneventful. It was spent mostly with him texting his friends and nurses coming in and out to check on him. He had also called his mom and they chatted for a bit since she’d be working late today and wouldn’t be able to visit him. They had administered his new medication around lunch time. After he finished eating is when the effects really kicked in and he decided to take a nap. 

It was about a hour before dinner time when he finally started to stir and wake up. He slowly sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes in attempted to rub away the sleep. The nurse wasn’t lying when she said the drugs would make him sleepy, the blonde felt like he had been asleep for years. He yawned loudly and stretched upwards, his back popping as he did so.

The he hears it, a chuckle. He tilted his head in confusion and turned to look at the bed next to his. The bed that was once empty and covered by a curtain was now occupied. Yunho squinted at the figure not being able to make out much except something bright red due his blurry vision. The blonde rubbed his eyes and when he finally got them clear he looked back towards the mystery boy in the bed next to his.

The first thing he noticed was his bright red hair. It fluffy, red, and eye catching.   
  


_It reminded him of the autumn leaves._

”Hey! I’m Mingi and it looks like we’re roommates now!” Yunho stared at mingi with wide eyes. He was surprised with how deep Mingi’s voice was. His smile was bright and full of life. By the looks of it everything about mingi was bright. His hair was more bright than the autumn leaves outside.

“It’s nice to meet you Mingi, I’m Yunho,” he smiled in return. “I’d offer you a handshake but if your nurse is anything like mine she probably doesn’t want you getting out of bed,” Yunho said with a giggle. However, Yunho was once again surprised by his new roommate. Mingi clicked his tongue and wrangled his way out of bed and grabbed his I.V stand, then made his way over to Yunho’s bed.

Once he reached the bed bound blonde he extended his hand with a grin. Yunho stared at it for a second before accepting it and shaking his hand as he smiled in return. “Wow you’re as tall as me and I’m the tallest in my class.” Mingi laughed in response and Yunho giggled.   
  
“Mind if I have a seat? Getting over here actually took more effort than I thought it’d be.” The red head rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and Yunho nodded in response. He made room for his new room and patted the spot next to him.

With a bit of help from Yunho Mingi took a seat next to the blonde, exhaling dramatically when he was finally in bed. “Phew, that was my work out of the year!” Both boys laughed in unison. “So Yunho-ssi, what are you here for? If you don’t mind me asking that is.”   
  
“There’s no need to be so formal Yunho is fine. Well Mingi-I can call you Mingi right?” The red head nodded in response. “I’m here because I’m having a few uhhhh, complications with my heart. They’re doing their best to treat me thought so hopefully I’ll be out of here soon!” Yunho said with a grin. He didn’t want to go into the grim details of the severity of his condition with Mingi since they’d just met. He wanted to keep things happy and light between them. “What about you Mingi? What are you here for?”

Mingi blinked at him before crossing his arms with a smirk. “Sorry Yunho but that’s confidential, it’s nothing contagious though so you don’t have to be worried about that.” Yunho’s mouth dropped open in the shape of a ‘o’. He did find it odd that Mingi didn’t want to tell him why he was here but he wasn’t one to pry so he dropped the subject.

“Hmmm, well why don’t you tell me more about yourself then. The only things I know about you are that your hair is red and you’re loud.” Yunho teased and Mingi let out a ‘pffttt’ in response. 

“Well I actually came here from Germany. My brother had to come to Korea for work and I didn’t want to stay alone in boring old Germany so I decided to come along!” Something about Mingi’s smile seemed different this time. It didn’t seem as bright and as genuine as his previous ones and didn’t quite reach his eyes. “ Before I got admitted to the hospital I was actually a pretty good dancer. It’s been a while and I miss it, a lot, but hey! That just motivates me more to get better and get right back to it so I can take the dancing world by storm!” Mingi said with determination.

“Wow looks like we’re both dancers. I’m planning on going to study abroad once I graduate so hopefully we’re both out of here soon and can both take the dancing world by storm!” Yunho said with a grin.

Mingi didn’t respond right away. Yunho blinked and stared at him. The red head seemed a little tense and was looking down at his hands. “Mingi? You okay?” Mingi slowly looked up towards Yunho and a small almost sad smile made it’s way onto his face.

“Yeah. Let’s both do our best and get out of here so we can reach our dreams.”

  
  


“ -And then the clouds opened up to reveal the sun and I descended from the heavens like the angel I am! That my friend is how I, Song Mingi, was born!” Yunho snorted and playfully hit Mingi on the arm. The two had literally spent the entire day talking. They talked about everything ranging from things like how Yunho was nick named golden retriever to how Mingi was apparently a angel who descended from the heavens. Even though the pair had just met Yunho felt as though they had know each other for ages. Talking with mingi was so easy and he felt as comfortable around him as he did with his best friends.

Yunho reaches out towards Mingi and pinched a piece of his bright red hair in between his index finger and thumb. “Your hair is so bright, when I first saw it I didn’t know what I was looking at,” Yunho said with a giggle. “It’s brighter then the autumn leaves, you could probably blind someone with it!”

“I dyed it red a couple months ago and loved the color so much I decided to maintain and keep it.” Mingi reached out towards Yunho and pinched a piece of his hair just like he had. “You’re one to talk, I thought you were a old man at first. You’re hair is pretty much white!” Mingi snickered and Yunho huffed in response. “If my hair is the autumn leaves then yours is the winter snow.”

Yunho opened his mouth to respond but was promptly interrupted by- “Boys! What are you doing of bed Mingi-ssi!” The nurse scolded and quickly shuffled over to Yunho’s bed. Both boys looked at each other equally surprised but, the pair just ended up laughing in unison. Once she reached the pair she gently grabbed Mingi’s arm and started to help him out of the bed. “ You know you shouldn’t be out of bed Mingi-ssi and Yunho-ssi! You shouldn’t have let him get out of bed!” She tsked and shook her head as she helped Mingi back over to his bed. However, she couldn’t help the little smile that crept onto her face as she walked him over.

“Now, no more getting into each other’s bed. You both need to stay in bed and rest so you can get better and get out of here.” The nurse said once she got Mingi situated in his bed again. Both boys looked at each and gave each other the same look before grinning.

“Whatever you say Noona!” They said in unison.

* * *

* * *

_It burned._

_ The pain was searing hot._

_ It felt like his heart was on fire._

_ Yunho gasped and wheezed, he clawed at his throat as he feebly tried to get air. His eyes were burning with his bright the light was and his ears were ringing. The concrete was rough and cold beneath him as he thrashed about._

_ “H-he-help....” He choked out. He clutched his chest and gasped when he felt how his skin was both ice cold and burning hot at the same time. He was now on the hospital floor, wearing nothing but his underwear. He could hear laughter._

_ Someone was laughing. It was a dark low sinister chuckle. It felt as though someone was laughing right in his ear. Someone was laughing at him._  
  
Death was laughing at him.

_ Tears started to flow down his cheeks as Yunho continued to try and cling onto life. A disgusting tear and crunch caused him to snap his gaze down to his chest. A pale ghostly hand had reach into his chest, it was grabbing his heart. Red painted his pale skin, it was red like the autumn leaves. His eyes widened and he opened his mouth to scream but, nothing came out. Tremors rocked his body and pain exploded through him as the person began to twist, yank, and squeeze at his heart. Their hand was burning hot and he could feel himself start to lose consciousness.  
_

_ This was it. This was how he’d die. Alone and cold on hospital floor. _

  
  
Yunho’s eyes snapped open and he was met with the dark hospital ceiling. He immediately looked down at his chest and starting patting it. He was safe, it was just a nightmare. Yunho sighed in both relief. Just a nightmare. Ever since he was admitted to the hospital he’d gotten nightmares almost nightly. All of them were the same, him on the floor struggling to live as his heart failed him.

He sat up in bed and pushed his sweaty bangs out of his face. The only light in the room was coming from the digital clock on the wall and the bright moonlight. He turned his head to the window and was met with the same sight as always. The autumn leaves. They were just as beautiful as alway. Maybe the hospital would let him go out and see them for himself if he asked. Maybe they’d even let him take Mingi with him.

_Mingi._

Yunho turned the other direction and there was Mingi. He was deep in sleep and had the covers pulled all the way up to his nose so the only thing visible were his closed eyes and red hair. Yunho was glad he hadn’t woken up Mingi, the last thing he wanted was to worry his new friend. 

  
Yunho watched Mingi as he slept peacefully, his red hair looking ethereal in the moonlight. It was so bright, bright and vibrant like the autumn leaves outside. However, unlike the leaves who were slowly dying Mingi’s red was full of life just like him. Yunho smiled at the sleeping figure and laid back down in bed.   
Maybe having a roommate wouldn’t be so bad after all.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo that happened. I hoped you guys enjoyed, kudos and comments are appreciated! I plan on keeping this short at most three chapters but the next chapters are going to be pretty long so be ready 🤪


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot twist im not dead lol😮

“Yah! You’re cheating aren’t you Yunho!” Mingi huffed as he lost his third game of Uno against Yunho. Yunho laughed as he collected the cards and began to shuffle them.

It had been almost a month since he’d been admitted to the hospital and that month was spent with daily test and check ups and reassurances that he’d get better soon. However, he would be lying if he said he wasn’t worried. When he was first admitted for his heart condition they had told him he’d be out in a week and on some medication to help combat it. A week turned into two weeks, two weeks into three, then a month. He missed school, eating home cooked food, going out with friends, and he especially missed dancing.

His friends and mother visited him as often as they could but, the person who truly made him feel less lonely during his stay at the hospital was Mingi. The two had gotten quite close over the past month, so close that Yunho considered Mingi one of his best friends. They spent the days talking and playing games. The nurses eventually stopped scolding them when they would sneak into each other’s beds to chat and such seeing as the boys pretty much did it every day regardless of what they said. Hell, the only reason they didn’t sleep in the same bed was because the thought hadn’t crossed their minds.

However, in that whole month Mingi still didn’t tell him why he was admitted to the hospital. Once, sometimes twice, a week the nurses would come and get him and take him away for testing or something. He’d come back completely drained from whatever they were doing to him and just sleep the rest of the day. Yunho didn’t know why he just knew that he was gone for almost the whole day when they came to take him and he’d be lying if he said it didn’t worry him. What if what Mingi had was actually something really serious? 

Another thing Yunho noticed was that Mingi never had visitors come to the room and visit him. In the entire month they spent together he’d never seen anyone come visit Mingi and it made him sad. That’s why he introduced his friends and mother to Mingi. The red head a always made Yunho feel less lonely so Yunho figured by introducing them he’d help Mingi feel less lonely. His mom practically adopted him and his friends immediately took a liking to the tall cherry haired boy.

“Yunhoooooo. Earth to Yunho!” Mingi waved a hand in front of his face and Yunho blinked in surprise. “Oh good you’re alive! I thought I would have to start doing chest compressions soon!” Yunho giggled and shook his head as he finished up shuffling the cards.

“Hey Mingi, I was just wondering why...why doesn’t anyone ever come to visit you.” Yunho bit his lip and his eyes met with Mingi’s. Mingi’s eyes widened a bit and his mouth dropped open in the shape of a little ‘o.’ The two stared at each other in silence for a bit and Yunho opened his mouth to tell the other that he didn’t need to answer him but, was cut off by something he did not expect.

Mingi doubled over and clutched his stomach, his shoulders were shaking. Yunho’s eyes widened and a pang of worry striked his heart. “Mingi! Are you oka-“ He was cut off by laughter, specifically Mingi’s laughter.

“Ahaha! S-sorry Yunho it’s just your face looked so serious when you asked why no one visited me.” Mingi wiped tears from his eyes and continued to laugh. Yunho’s face flushed and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Mingi’s laughter eventually died down into chuckles. “Phew that was a good laugh. Now Yunho, my dear friend, if you really must know why I haven’t gotten any visitors yet it’s because my brother is really busy with work.”

A small smile made it way onto Mingi’s face. “ Our dad left when I was a baby and our mom died a few years back so ever since then it’s just been us two.” Guilt creeped up Yunho’s body as he listened to Mingi talk. The last thing he wanted was to bring up painful memories for his friend. The blonde reach out and grabbed one of Mingi’s hands and gave it a little squeeze. Mingi looked down at their joined hands and his smile grew a bit. “ His name is Seonghwa and he’s a fashion designer, a pretty successful one too if I do say so myself! He’s here with his boyfriend and they're working on designing some stage outfits for an idol group.”

“What?! That’s so cool!” Yunho’s eyes sparkled upon hearing about Mingi’s older brother.

“I know right! It’s always been hyung’s dream to design for big idol groups. When mom died I was scared he would drop his dream and pick up some random office job to support us but, her death only motivated him to work harder and achieve his goals. I used to go to private school in Germany before I got sick and he was the one footing the bill for it, he worked two jobs while going to university just so I could stay in school.” Mingi played with Yunho’s fingers as he spoke and Yunho listened intently. “When I got sick and had to go to the hospital he worked so hard in University that he graduated top of his class and was recognized by designers and fashion houses across the world. He worked so hard just to take care of me and I’ll always be grateful for him and what he does. It may get a little lonely sometimes but I don’t mind. Plus, how could I get lonely now that I have a friend like you!” Mingi flashed Yunho with one of his signature grins and Yunho couldn’t help but grin in return.

“Correction, were not friends were best friends!

* * *

* * *

"Yuhoooooo," Mingi drawled out and Yunho hummed in response. His brows were furrowed in concentration as he started on the fourth level of his card house. The pair were seated in Yunho's bed and it had been Mingi's Idea to build the card house at first. The red head quickly grew bored but, Yunho was determined to make the card house as tall as he could with the 52 cards the box of cards provided him. He gently made the first little triangle of the fourth layered and held his breath as he reached for more cards.

"Yunhooooo, you've been at that for what feels like forever now! Instead of playing _with_ the cards can't we play a card game?'

Once again Yunho merely hummed in response. He was so focused on his card house that he barley listened to what Mingi was saying. "Oi! Yunho are you even listening!" Yunho hummed in response for the third time in a row. A grin made its was onto his face as he finished the fourth layer and began the fifth one. Then,_ tragedy struck._ MIngi being Mingi huffed dramatically and that was the end of Yunho's card house, The cards fell In whizzes of red, black, white, and gold and decorated the bed In their fallen glory. Yunho stared at the mess with his mouth agape and MIngi tried his best to stifle his laughter but failed. 

"H-Haha! S-Sorry Yunho b-but, oh I cant, the look on your face! It's priceless!" He said in between his laugher. Yunho's lip jutted out into a pout and he groaned. He quickly whipped his head to face Mingi and opened his mouth to speak. _Fate really wasn't on his side that day._

Yunho had forgotten how close the pair were sitting to each other and next thing he knew his lips were on Mingi's. Both boys looked at each other with wide eyes and sat there frozen. After a few seconds the reality of what just happened really settled in and Yunho flushed so dark it put MIngi's glorious red hair to shame. The blonde quickly pulled away and waved his arms around frantically. " A-Ah! I-I'm so sorry Mingi! I-I didn't mean t-to do that and ahhhh!" Yunho finished with a whine and MIngi stared at him with flushed cheeks and wide eyes. The room was blanketed in a thick silence as the pair stared at each other.

Then, _a giggle. _Mingi giggled and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, " N-No worries. I'm sorry for messing up your card house," he said with a small, shy smile. After a few seconds Yunho began to giggle too and a smile made its was onto his face as well. Yunho and Mingi continued to look at each other as they giggled like blushing school girls. Eventually they calmed down and spent the rest of the day watching whatever cheesy drama's or movie's that were playing on the hospital tv.

However there was one thing couldn't get out of his mind. _It was how soft and warm Mingi's lips had felt against his and how for a split second he almost didn't want to pull away._

* * *

* * *

_ Cold._

_ He felt so cold._

_ Yunho clutched his chest as he trudged through the snow. His vision was hazy and he was struggling to breath. He didn’t know where he was or how he got there but he was terrified._

_ He collapsed to his knees in the heavy snow and coughed violently. His whole frame shook with how hard he was coughing. He shut his eyes tightly as he continued to cough and wheeze._

_ His heart burned again._

_ His coughs died down and when he opened his eyes again tears rushed towards them. The snow in front of him was painted a deep red._

_ Red like the leaves that once decorated the trees._

_ He had coughed up blood. _  
  
_ Out of no where Yunho was roughly shoved into the snow. He landed face first into the the blood stained snow and his nose was flooded with the stench of blood. He would’ve gagged if he could. With shaky weak arms he pushed him self up and out of the snow._

_He could feel the irregular beat of his heart. He eyes glazed over with unshed tears and he opened his mouth to call out for someone, anyone, to help him but, nothing come out. His eyes widened and he gasped as the burning in his chest intensified. The pain was unimaginable and he wouldn’t wish it upon anyone._

_ He lungs burned with the lack of oxygen. His entire body burned despite being in the snow with nothing but his hospital gown. _  
  
_ “E-eom...ma....” He barley managed to call out for his mother with what little breath he had. His vision was growing hazy and at some point he had started crying. He didn’t want to die, not like this. He collapsed into the snow once again as his vision began to grow dark._

_ Just as he was going to completely black out a single bright red leaf slowly floated down in front of him. Yunho mustered out what little strength he had left and reached out towards the leaf and gently grasped it. It was a beautiful bright shade of red. It was so warm too, it didn’t burn like his insides and wasn’t freezing like the snow. It was gentle and warm and provided him comfort as his vision started to completely turn black._

_ It reminded him of Mingi._

Yunho’s eyes snapped opened and he was met with the familiar dark hospital ceiling. He stared at the ceiling with his mouth agape and wide eyes for a bit before groaning and sweeping his sweaty bangs out of his face. He’d been here for over a month now and his nightmares still hadn’t gone away. The only time he didn’t have nightmares was when they would try out new treatments on him that made him so drowsy he’d knock out as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Over the past month his nightmares had gotten worse, once he woken up in a cold sweat crying so bad he was surprised Mingi hadn’t woken up. Another time he woken up with sleep paralysis and it felt like he couldn’t breath and all he could hear was a shrill ringing. Yunho sighed and turned to face the large hospital window.

Most of the leaves had fallen off the trees and decorated the hospital ground in lovey shades of red, yellow, and orange. The hospital staff had recently started letting Yunho’s visitors take him out to the courtyard and get some fresh air. The first time they told him he was allowed to go outside the biggest, brightest smile made it way on his face and he thanked his nurse over and over again.

Hongjoong and San had been over that day.

  
  
_“-And then she had the nerve to say ‘San put that toy up, we’re in class.’ Shiber isn’t a toy he’s my baby!” San exclaimed dramatically as he clutched his precious plush to his chest. Hongjoong shook his head and Yunho couldn’t help but giggle. It was about 30 minutes into the visit and the trio had talked about miscellaneous things such as the latest school gossip and such._

_ Hongjoong and San were seated in the chairs next to Yunho’s bed, the only reason why they weren’t on Yunho’s bed with him being that a nurse had shooed them off it earlier. ‘The bed was made for one not three!’ She claimed and the pair pouted as they sulkily made their way out fo the bed._

_ “It’s still not fair that we got kicked out of the bed. I wanted cuddles....” Hongjoong mumbled the end but, Yunho still heard and couldn’t help but giggle. Hongjoong would never admit it but, he was just as affection and cuddly as San and San literally would snuggle up to anyone. Especially Wooyoung, the two literally held hands and kissed each other all the time and still claimed not to be dating.   
  
“ The nurses just want to make sure I’m fine. If you think that’s bad they haven’t let me outside once since I’ve been here!” Yunho finished with a sigh. He had asked multiple times but, was met with the same answer that he shouldn’t be out in the cold and should be in bed resting. “If anything being in the stuffy room all the time is worse, I feel like I’m catching dust just laying here!” Yunho plopped back into his bed dramatically._

_ “What! You haven’t been outside once?! Haven’t you even here for like a month!?” Yunho sighed and nodded in response. Yunho heard shifting and glanced at the pair. San and Yunho both watch as Hongjoong reached for the call button and pressed it._

_ “Wh-Joong! What are you doing?!” Yunho hissed and sat up, he took the device from Hongjoong and frantically searched for a button to cancel the call. _

_ “Getting you outside,duh” Before Yunho could open his mouth to speak a nurse entered the room. Specifically his main nurse, Nurse Jane._

_ “You called Yunho-ssi?” She said as she made her way over to the trio. She had recently cut her hair into a long bob and it’s brown curls bounced as she walked. As always she had a smile plastered onto her face._

_ “Ah, Sorry Noona it was an acci-“_

_ “Can we take Yunho out to the court yard.” Hongjoong cut Yunho off and Yunho’s shoulders dropped. “It’s not the cold today, plus it wouldn't be for too long.” Yunho mouth dropped and he stared at Hongjoong with wide eyes. San on the other hand was too busy happily cooing over Shiber to even notice what was going on._

_ Nurse Jane’s mouth dropped open into a little ‘o’. She bit her lip, contemplating on what to say. She was about to shake her head when Hongjoong interrupted her. “It would just be for our visit! Plus Yunho’s too tall to be cooped up in this bed all day. He needs room to stretch those long gangly legs of his.”_

_ The room went silent after that. The boys looked at nurse Jane with pleading eyes and eventually she sighed. “I guess it wouldn’t do too much harm for him to get some fresh air.” A smile so bright it rivaled the sun made it way onto Yunho’s face. “But! Only to the courtyard and only for the duration of the visit. As soon as your times up I want you boys inside before any of you catch cold and we end up with another roommate for Yunho,” she finished with a giggle._

_ “Thank you so much noona! I promise we’ll come in on time,” Yunho happily exclaimed. Nurse Jane smiled in return and left the room to retrieve a wheel chair so Yunho could be wheeled out into the courtyard._

They had spent the rest of their visit outside and for the first time since he was admitted to the hospital all the thoughts about his condition and everything that could possibly happen left Yunho’s mind and he just enjoyed himself without a care in the world. When they finally came inside Yunho’s cheeks and nose were rosy and the tips of his fingers tingled from the cold but, the smile of his face was proof that to him it was worth it.

The blonde sat up in bed and glanced down at his legs with a sigh. Yunho had barley walked since being admitted to the hospital. A symptom of cardiomyopathy was swelling in the legs which made it not only difficult but, painful to walk. So, whenever he had to go somewhere or was allowed to go outside he would have to use a wheelchair. Being in the wheelchair and not being able to walk was absolute torture for Yunho. He was always a energetic person and just sitting in bed all day and being unable to walk around irritated him beyond belief.   
  
However, now that Mingi was around being bedridden wasn't so bad. He glanced over at the red head and watched as he slept peacefully. As always his vibrant hair shimmered in the moonlight. It looked as though his hair was a ocean of red leaves. A small smiled graced itself on Yunho’s face. Mingi’s roots were starting to grow in but, the color was holding up so good it looked as though it was freshly dyed. 

Yunho loved Mingi’s hair, it suited him perfectly. It was just as vibrant and bright as his personality. The shade of red also brought him comfort just like the autumns leaves would when he would wake up from a nightmare. Mingi as a whole brought him comfort. He made his stay at the hospital less lonely and helped him forget about his heart condition and why he was even there.

_Mingi made him feel like he was at home._

“Goodnight Mingi...” he whispered before laying back down in bed. Yunho pulled the covers up to his chin and continued to watch Mingi sleep until he himself fell into a peaceful slumber.

For once Yunho was gifted with a pleasant dream. He couldn’t remember it when he woke up the next morning but, what he did remember was that it was full of beautiful warm shades of red.

* * *

* * *

  
“Hey mingi?” Mingi hummed and turned to face Yunho. The pair were seated next to each other in Mingi’s bed watching some cheesy drama on the hospital tv. “I was just wondering, how do you keep your hair so bright? You’re secretly a tree aren’t you! And the reason your hair is red is because it’s changing colors since it’s autumn!” Yunho exclaimed with a giggle and reached out to pinch a piece of Mingi’s fringe in between his fingers, Mingi huffed in response.

“Are you secretly a old man then? Your hair is practically white!,” Mingi said with a grin as he pinched a piece Yunho’s hair just like he had done to him. Yunho let out a little ‘pfft’ in response. “I hope you like the color red because you’re gonna be stuck with it a while since I’m here now!”

“Of course I do, I love red! It reminds me of things like warmth and the autumn leaves. I always loved autumn, when I was younger my mom would always take me out for walks and we’d play around in the leaves. The bright reds and oranges were always so pretty to me. Also it....it reminds me of you...” A faint blush crept it way onto Yunho’s face as he finished his sentence and released Mingi’s hair. ”Do you like the color white?”

Mingi hummed and twirled Yunho’s hair in between his fingers for a bit before releasing it and responding. “Well I have been told I look dashing in white,” he said with a wiggle of his brows and Yunho couldn’t help but laugh in response. “But, I do. White reminds me of snow and winter. Of going out in the snow with my brother to play back in Germany and coming home to our mom’s hot chocolate. However, white also reminds me of you.” Mingi finished with a soft smile and Yunho smiled in return. Mingi turned his attention back to the drama. The pair’s hands were next to each other so, Mingi decided to interlock his pinky with Yunho’s. Yunho returned the gesture with a smile.

In the end Yunho ended up snuggled up into Mingi’s side.

* * *

* * *

  
  
“You’re test results should be in by tomorrow so well be able to see how much progress you’ve made. I’m sure you’ll be out of here in no time!” Yunho’s nurse said with a smile as she rolled him down the hall. Yunho smiled as well but, it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

He’d been in the hospital for just over two months and they always told the same things. The new medication will help, we’re going to preform a small procedure, we’ll run some test, _You’ll be out of here soon. _He heard those words over and over again. They were supposed to be comforting and reassuring but, they just felt hallow to him. He hated the fact that no one would tell him how things really were going.

_ If his life really was at stake he had the right to know_.   
  
Once during a visit the Doctor had asked to speak to Yunho’s mother. So, she left the room to speak to him and when she came back in she looked like she was on the verge of tears. When Yunho asked her what was wrong she laughed it off and said it was just allergies. Another time she started crying and when Yunho asked her what was wrong all she said was. _‘Eomma loves you so, so much. You’ll always be my little ray of sunshine, even if you tower over me now. No matter what happens I will always love you.’_

Yunho held her as she cried and when she was done crying she said it had just been a bad day at work and nothing more. Yunho accepted the answer even if he knew she was lying. That was another thing that was scaring him. His mom was single and footing all the money for his medical bills. They were by no means poor but, he knew the reason why his mom couldn’t always visit him was because she was picking up more and more shifts to cover for his medical expenses. She often looked tired when she came to visit him and it killed Yunho to know that he was the reason why she looked so tired. It was his fault she was working her self to the bone.

His dad had died when he was around two and ever since then it was just him and his mom against the world. She would always make time for him when he was a kid and even if she was exhausted from working two jobs she never showed it. She’d pack Yunho’s lunches everyday for school and walked him to school everyday before riding the bus to her day job. She’d pick him up on time without fault and he would animatedly tell her about the things he did in school like playing on the playground or coloring. They'd go home and she’d cook them dinner and clean up a bit before playing with Yunho until it was time for bedtime which is when she’d read him a story before tucking him and leaving for her night job.

Eventually she got a job that paid significantly better and she was able to quit both her jobs for it. Sometimes her hours were long but, she’d always make time for Yunho and in his eyes she was the strongest woman out there. He loved his mom so much and the thought of her having to work so much because of him left an awful taste in his mouth.

He sighed and watched the floor tiles whiz by as he was wheeled down the hall. Hopefully he’d be out of here soon and his mom wouldn’t have to work so much.   
  
Nurse Jane wheeled Yunho into his room and he was met with something so shocking his eyes widened comically.

_ Mingi had a visitor._

Well, to be more correct _visitors_. Two men were seated in the chairs next to Mingi’s bed. One had black hair that had subtle waves in it. It looked soft to the touch and he looked unbelievably handsome. The other was more petite and he had his arms locked around the other mans arm. His hair was a caramel brown and he wore a large sweater that practically engulfed him whole and made him look obnoxiously cute.

Both men looked expensive and had an aura of confidence around them that didn’t say ‘I’m arrogant’ but, said ‘ I made it.’ Mingi was about to say something to the mysterious men when he noticed Yunho being wheeled into the room. “Yunho! You’re back!” Mingi exclaimed with a grin and Yunho smiled in return. “Noona can you please help Yunho into my bed? I promise we’ll get him back into his.”

“There’s no point in even fighting it at this point, even if I say no he’ll probably end up there anyway,” Jane giggled and shook her head. She stopped the wheel chair next to Mingi’s bed and was about to help him get into it when a voice interrupted her.

“Please, allow me.” The handsome man with black hair said as he stood and made his way over to the pair. The brunette pouted at the loss of the other and Yunho’s mouth formed a small ‘o’ in surprise. ”It’s no trouble I assure you. The least I can do for my baby brother’s love interest is help him into bed.” Yunho flushed a red just as bright as Mingi’s hair and Mingi sputtered out, “Y-Yah! He’s not my ‘love interest’, he’s my best friend you big angry bird!”

Brother? So this was Mingi’s brother, Seonghwa? Seonghwa chuckled and shook his head as he walked toward Yunho and nurse Jane. He held his hand out with a smile and looked at it for a second before accepting it. Nurse Jane watched in awe with stars in her eyes. “Why thank you!” Seonghwa nodded towards her before helping Yunho get into bed. It took a little bit of effort but, within in no time he was situated next to Mingi in the bed. Jane thanked Seonghwa again before taking the wheel chair and leaving the room.

“Thank you for your help,” Yunho said with a bow once Seonghwa was seated again. Seonghwa hummed in response and smiled at Yunho before returning to his seat. As soon as he sat down the brunette in the chair next to him wrapped his arms around Seonghwa's once again and snuggled closer to him. Now that Yunho was in Mingi's bed he was able to get a closer look at the pair. Seonghwa had strong brows and a strong nose paired with plush lips and a jawline so sharp it could cut someone. There was no denying he was handsome, some might even say pretty with how soft and flawless his skin looked. The male next to him had strong eyes and wore blue contacts which brightened his whole face, his lips were formed into a small pout and he was equally as, if not more, handsome then Seonghwa. 

"Well, im sure you probably guessed by now but toothless over there is my brother," Mingi tilted his head towards the pair and the brunette giggled upon hearing the nickname. Yunho couldn't help but giggle a bit himself, Seonghwa really did look like toothless. "The tiny one next to him is his boyfriend, er fiancé, Yeosang. Seonghwa, Yeosang, this is my roommate and best friend, the amazing Yunho!" MIngi said with a grin, " Don't let his white hair fool you he's actually my age and not some old man." Yunho let out a small _'pfft'_ and playfully swatted Mingi's arm.

Seonghwa chuckled, “It’s nice to meet you Yunho, it’s alright if I call you Yunho right?”

“Of course! In fact I’d prefer it, all these honorifics just make everything so stale,” Yunho said with a grin. “Also congratulations on the engagement!”

“Actually were not engaged-“

“You might as well be,” Mingi mumbled.

“As you probably know my precious baby brother dramatizes things, he’s probably claimed to be an angel or other exaggerations like that to you plenty of times by now,” Seonghwa said with a smirk.

“Actaauullyyyy, now that you mention it he has. I asked him where his wings were and he said he gave them away because they caused his back to hurt,” everyone except Mingi laughed. The red rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and a faint flush dusted his cheeks.

“ Shut it toothless before I tell Yunho about the time we climbed that bridge in Australia and you-“

Seonghwa’s eyes widened and he started frantically waving his arms, “Mingi! You better stop before I tell him about ‘I cannot Englishy!’” Mingi’s face immediately turned as red as his hair.

“_You wouldn’t.”_

_”Try me.”_

The siblings stared at each other intensely and Yunho watched the pair with a confused look on his face. He glanced towards Yeosang and the short brunette had a amused smile on his face. “Don’t worry these two are always like this. In short Seonghwa is a big baby when it comes to heights and Mingi’s English is worse than his math skills and trust me, this boy couldn’t do math if his life depended on it.” 

“Yeosaaanggg!” “S-Sangie!” Mingi and Seonghwa said at the same time. Yeosang giggled innocently as if he hadn’t just exposed the pair and reached up to give Seonghwa a quick kiss on the cheek.

“You know I love you hyungie but, you’re honestly the biggest baby when it comes to heights. You almost started crying when you guys reached the top of the bridge. Then, when you made it back down you held on to me so tight I thought my eyes would pop out and claimed how you were absolutely certain you were gonna die and not see me again.” Seonghwa groaned and Mingi let out a victorious ‘Ha!’ Yunho covered his mouth with his hand to stifle his giggles.   
  
“A-And what about Mingi’s English?” Yunho said in between giggles and a grin made its was onto Yeosang’s face.

“Yah! Yunho you traitor!”

“Well, Mingi lost a bet to yours truly and had to go into a pharmacy and order medicine in English. At first he thought he’d be sneaky and try to find it on his own but, eventually he made his way up to the pharmacist counter and the first thing he says is-“ Yeosang sat up straight and puffed out his chest then in a deeper voice said, “I cannot Englishy.” 

The room was silent for a second before it was filled with Yeosang’s giggles and Yunho’s laughter. Yunho clutched his stomach as his body racked with laughter and his eyes teared up. Mingi covered his face with his hands and groaned loudly as Seognhwa snickered and stuck his tongue out at him.

“H-He ended up basically playing charades with the pharmacist and it was the funniest thing ever,” Yeosang said as his giggles died down. “The pharmacist ended up pulling out his phone and using a translator app.” Yunho wiped the tears from his eyes as his laughter died down into giggles. He couldn’t remember the last time he had laughed that hard but, boy had it been refreshing.

Yunho turned towards Mingi and patted his shoulder, “ Bet you wished you had kept your wings now so you could fly away,” Mingi groaned again and raised his head from his hands. His face was still flushed and a pout was plastered on his face.

“If you’ve ever wondered what a wolf in sheep’s clothing looks like Yunho, there’s one sitting in front of you. Yeosang may look sweet and innocent but, he’s really a little devil.” Yeosang let out a little ‘heh heh’ and winked at Mingi. “A very _socially awkward _little devil,” Mingi said with a smirk. “If you think the bridge and pharmacy story were funny wait till you here about the time Yeosang tried ordering pizza on the phone.”   
  
Yeosang gasped and shook his head with pleading eyes. “Haha, y-you know I was just having a little fun Mingi. Y-you really don’t have to tell him. It wasn’t even that funny!” He laughed nervously and waved his hand in a dismissive manner.

“Hmm... You’re right I don’t have to tell him...when Seonghwa can for me!” Mingi grinned devilishly and Seonghwa did the same.

“S-Seognhwa hyung!” Yeosang squeaked and looked up at his boyfriend with a pout. Yunho stayed quiet and watched with a grin.

“Awe baby it’s just a little payback~” Seonghwa cooed and snickered before turning to Yunho. “So we were just lounging around our house In Germany with Mingi around a year and a half ago and Yeosang kept whining about how he wanted pizza and chicken so I told him to order it for us.” Yeosang whined and hid his face in Seonghwa’s arm knowing that there was no stopping his boyfriend now. “ So he reluctantly calls the pizza place and after a few seconds they answer and greet him and my cute little button of a boyfriend responds with the most smart, iconic, legendary line ever. ‘Hi, do you sell pizzas?’

Mingi and Yunho laughed in unison and Yeosang whined louder. “Literally as soon as Mingi and I heard him say that we started rolling on the floor laughing. You should’ve seen his face it was so red I thought he was gonna explode. He somehow managed to order it and when they told him his total on the phone his said ‘You too, t-thank you’ and hung up. It was so cute and funny I wish I had recorded it.” Yunho held onto Mingi’s shoulder as he continued to laugh.

“If you think that’s funny wait till you hear about the time he tried saying good morning to strangers!” Mingi said in between his laughter and upon hearing Yeosang gasp again Yunho’s laughter grew louder.

It was here, laughing with Mingi and Seonghwa as Yeosang pouted at the trio that Yunho felt free for once. Free of the constant fear that one day his heart would finally fail him and was allowed to just laugh and be happy like a normal teenager. They spent the day telling stories and laughing together. Seonghwa and Yeosang had even bought them takeout which Yunho was beyond grateful for because hospital food wasn’t really the most flavorful.

That night Yunho slept with a full stomach and a warm feeling in his chest. His sleep wasn’t plagued with nightmare's for once and instead he dreamt of walking through the autumn leaves with his hand interlocked with someone’s.

He couldn’t remember who it was but, _they felt like home.  
  
_

* * *

* * *

It was around a week later and Yunho couldn’t stop thinking about what Seonghwa had said. He had called him Mingi’s _’love interest.’ _Just thinking about it caused his pale cheeks to flush a pretty pink.

Mingi was out for his weekly test which left Yunho alone in the room with his thoughts. He couldn’t deny that Mingi was handsome. He had a strong face with plush kissable lips. His skin was like porcelain and one time Yunho saw him wearing glasses and his heart stuttered a bit upon seeing just how good he looked in them.   
  
_ He could imagine them taking a walk together as the autumn leaves gracefully fell from the trees. Their fingers would be interlocked and after a while they would decide to take a break and sit under a rather large tree. They’d laugh together and throw leaves at each other eventually, ending up rolling around in the leaves until Yunho ended up on his back with Mingi hovering over him. He’d lean down and rub his nose against Yunho's and the blonde wouldn’t be able to stop his giggles if he tried. Then he’d lean up towards Mingi and press his lips to Mi-_

Yunho groaned, halting his day dream, and plopped back down into his bed. He covered his burning face with his hands and shook his head. He the could feel the heat in his cheeks in it caused him to groan once again. There was no way Yunho could have a crush on Mingi, he was his best friend! His tall, handsome, funny best who he would occasionily _platonically_ cuddle with. His best friend whos laughter could light up a room and had a smile that radiated warmth who he accidentally kissed once. _HIs best friend who made him feel like he was at home even in the stuffy hospital room, who he want to cuddle with non platonically, and kiss on purpose._

Yunho shoved his face into his pillow and groaned once again. 

Well, Yunho was absolutely smitten for Mingi.

* * *

* * *

_Beep._

_ **Hurts....**_

_ Beep._

_ **Where...am I?...**_

_ Beep._

_ **Help....**_

_ Beep._

_ **Cold...so...c..old**_

_ Beep._

_ **Everything...hurts....**_

_ Yunho slowly cracked open his eyes and was met with the hospitals blinding white lights. His eyes were crusted shut so getting them open was a struggle. His throat ached, everything ached. The only noise in the room was that of his ragged breath and the steady beat of the heart monitor. He had realized the reason why his throat ached so much was because a breathing tube had been inserted into him._

_ The room was stark white. Yunho’s skin was almost a white with the only color on him being a nasty purple/green bruise that formed around where his I.V was inserted into him. He felt beyond lethargic to the point where even keeping his eyes open was a struggle and his body felt numb._

_ The door to the small hospital room swung open and a group of personnel dressed in surgical gear entered, they walked in harsh gagged movements. However, their uniforms were not the typical surgical gear. They were bright white and made of latex which clung to their skin. Two of them, which he presumed were nurses, had short skin tight latex dresses with their hair both being cut into short white bobs. The nurses wheeled in carts full with sharp surgical gear and it was at that point that Yunho started to panic._

_ The most horrifying thing about the hospital workers were their faces, or rather their lack of faces. The doctors faces were covered with tight latex face mask but, even with how tight the face mask were you could see no facial features. No noses, lips, cheekbones, absolutely nothing. The nurses faces were wrapped in bandages. However, something that they all had in common were the bloody smiles that were crudely painted onto their masks._

_ As they got closer to him his heart rate started to increase. He tried to move and get out of the bed but, the only thing he could do was feebly move his fingers. The nurses stopped the carts next to either side of his bed then turned to look at Yunho. They stared at Yunho and Yunho stared back with wide eyes. _ _Both nurses started to move towards Yunho at the same time and once they reached him they pulled the covers off of him and tore open the front of his hospital gown._

_ **Yunho tried to scream but, he couldn’t.**_

_His chest rose and fell rapidly and he was so thin you could see his ribs. The doctors had just stood there watching but, now that he was exposed they began to walk towards him. The squeaking of latex echoed through the room as they both walked towards one of the carts and stopped next to them. Yunho watched them with wide wet scared eyes._

_ One picked up a scalpel and the other a small saw. Yunho’s eyes bubbled up with tears and his heart rate increased dramatically. The rapid BeepBeepBeep echoed throughout the room. The doctor with the scalpel wasted no time in walking towards him and began to slice into him. He started at Yunho’s chest and slowly began to slice down._

_ Tears ran down Yunho cheeks like waterfalls and he somehow managed to scream loudly with the breathing tube still in him. However, his body wouldn’t move it was almost as if he was drugged. Crimson blood began to seep out of the wound decorated his chest in red. It flowed into the crevasses of his ribs and down into the bed sheets. The doctor continued to cut until he reached his belly button then, he stopped. _

_ That was when the second doctor began to get closer to him. He pushed a button on the saw and it spurred to life. Yunho screamed again and shook his head._

_ BeepBeepBeep_

_ **HELP**_

_ BeepBeepBeep_

_ **SOMEONE HELP**_

_ The Doctor jammed the saw into his chest, the sound of flesh tearing and bone crunching invaded Yunho’s ears._

_ BeepBeepBeep_

_ **HURTSHURTSHURTSHURTSHURTS**_

_ Flecks of blood flew through the air and decorated the bed like how the Autumn leaves decorated the hospital grounds. Yunho could feel blood bubbling up in his throat and he gagged. The thick liquid was warm and the wretched scent of blood invaded his nostrils. He gurgled on the thick liquid as it overflowed and ran down his mouth._

_ This was it. This was how he was going to die._

_ BeepBeepBeep_

_ **Help...hurts....HURTS...  
  
**BeepBeep_

_ **Dark...scared...cold**_

_Beep_

_ **Eomma..  
**_

_‘Yunho? Yunho...hey it’s okay I’m right here.’_

** _ Min....gi?..._ **

Yunho woke up with a loud gasp. His hospital gown and hair were both soaked with sweat. His eyes frantically darted around the room and he struggled to catch his breath. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re okay Yunho breath. It was just a dream.” Yunho eyes snapped towards Mingi and he stared at him with wide eyes. Mingi was standing next to his bed, he had one hand on the bed rail and the other on his I.V stand. His brows we’re furrowed and he looked at Yunho with concern in his eyes.

“It’s okay, you’re safe. It was just a nightmare.” Yunho stared at the other with wide wet eyes. His red hair shimmered in the moon light. It practically glowed. It wasn’t like the red in his nightmares which brought nothing but pain and fear. It was red like a warm campfire. Yunho opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was a shaky exhale. With that, the dam broke.

Yunho choked on a sob and began to openly cry. His whole form shook with how hard he was crying. He didn’t want Mingi to see him like this so covered his face with his hands and continued to cry. “I-I-,” he choked on a sob and shook his head. He hated the fact that Mingi was seeing him like this. He felt so weak and exposed. He was always sunshine and rainbows with everyone because he hated making people worry over him and now here he was crying in front of his best friend over a stupid nightmare.

** He hated it.** He hate the fact that he always had nightmares. He hated the fact that no one would be honest with him about his condition. He hated the fact that his mom had to work more because of him. He hated that Mingi was seeing him cry. He hated that-

Yunho felt the bed dip next to him but, before he could raise his head from his hands to look he was engulfed in warmth. The blonde sniffled and looked up to see that Mingi had was now sitting in his bed and was embracing him. “M-Mingi..?” Mingi gave him a small smile and held him closer. He carded one of his hands through Yunho’s blonde locks and used the other to rub his back soothingly.

_ “It’s okay. Everything is going to be okay.”_

Maybe it was because he was still shaken from his nightmare or maybe it was because out of all the months he’s spent in the hospital he hadn’t heard any true genuine reassurance but, hearing Mingi tell him it was gonna he okay made him cry more. He tightly embraced Mingi and clutched the back of his hospital gown. Yunho sobbed into the crevice of Mingi’s neck and the red head continued to comfort him as he did.

Eventually Yunho’s sobs died down into sniffles then, into silence. Somewhere in the middle of the crying the pair had change positions. Yunho was practically lying on top of Mingi now and rested his head on top of his chest, Mingi's steady heartbeat resonated through his ears. He glanced at the clock with puffy red eyes. In bright red letters it read 4:37. "Sorry for keeping you up so late...” Yunho croaked, voice hoarse from crying. Even though Yunho had been done crying for some time now Mingi was still holding him and Yunho was still clinging to him.

Mingi gave his back a few gentles pats and shook his head even if Yunho couldn’t see it. “ Don’t mention it. What kinda of friend would I be if I just let you cry like that.” Mingi shifted them a bit so the were both laying on the bed. “Let’s get some sleep, it’s pretty late,” he said with a yawn. Yunho nodded and snuggled closer to Mingi. His eye lids felt heavy and he felt completely drained from all the crying he had done. Yunho could hear Mingi’s heart beating and it’s gentle beat lulled him to sleep.

“Thank you Mingi..” He whispered sleepily as he fell into a deep slumber where he dreamed of familiar bright laughter and warm shades of red.

If nurse Jane walked in the next morning to find the boys cozied up together in bed then she said nothing. Instead she took the blanket from Mingi's bed and used it to cover both the boys with a smile on her face. Maybe letting them sleep in for once wouldn't be so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im soooooo sorry for how long it took for me to update however, I promise that I will be updating consistently from now on but, since the chapters for this fic are going to be pretty long it could take up to two weeks for the next chapter. I promise this isn't a dead fic though and im not dropping It. I hope y'all enjoyed! Comments and kudos are appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get your tissues ready cuz you're gonna need them after this chapter🥺🥺

_"C'mon Yunho, guess your hair really is white because you're an old man after all!" Mingi exclaimed in between his laughter as he ran from Yunho. Yunho giggled as he continued to pursue the red head, a bunch of leaves haphazardly clutched in his hands._ _The pair had decided to go out to the park and see the leaves, one thing turned to another and now they were playing in the leaves. The crisp autumn air made his fingers tingle and gave his nose and cheeks a light dusting of pink._

_ "Well you better run faster because this old man is starting to catch up!" Yunho said with a grin. He was hot on Mingi's heels and was just about to catch up to him when Mingi suddenly stopped and turned around to face Yunho. Yunho was so taken aback by the sudden movement that he stopped dead in his tracks and that gave Mingi the opening he needed. A mischevious grin made its way onto his face as he zoomed in on his target and picked the blonde up by his waist._

_ Yunho squeaked at the sudden action and let go of the leaves he was holding. They flew around them as Mingi swung him around in the air. The whole time he was grinning and giggles escaped Yunho's lips as he squirmed a bit. "M-Mingi stop!" He wrapped his arms around the red heads neck as he continued to spin him around._

_ After a few seconds Mingi stopped spinning but, continued to carry Yunho by his waist as the pair giggled like a couple of school girls. Yunho moved his arms so he could cup both of Mingi's cheeks with his hands and leaned down to nuzzle his nose against Mingi's."Hi," he said with a grin. They were both slightly out of breath and had faint flushes on their cheeks. Yunho giggled quietly and leaned in to give Mingi a quick peck on his plush lips. _

_ " Well hi to you too cutie," Mingi said with a little laugh as he gave Yunho a quick peck as well. Mingi continued to hold Yunho as he walked them towards a nearby stump. He sat on the stump and settled Yunho on his lap. Yunho hummed in content as he wiggled a bit to get more comfty. The gently breeze caused the leaves to dance around them in a beautiful rain of warm colors. No matter how cold it was Yunho would always feel warm and fuzzy as long as he was with Mingi. _

_ "I still haven't gotten you back for throwing me into that pile of leaves earlier," Yunho hummed as he leaned in to give Mingi another kiss. The blonde let his lips linger for a bit this time before pulling away. He looked at Mingi with nothing but adoration in his eyes. Mingi looked stunning, his tan skin glowed in warm sunlight and he had those glasses on that just did thing to Yunho. His hair had waves in it and had faded froma bright red to a soft almost muted orange. Yunho felt like he was the luckiest man on Earth._

_ "Hmm, how about I treat you to hot chocolate to make it up to you?" _

_ "And crepes too?'_

_ Mingi laughed and nodded as he leaned in to give Yunho a peck on the cheek. "Of course. Anything for you baby." Yunho flushed at the pet name and sighed as he rested his head on Mingi's shoulder. He closed his eyes and inhaled the familair scent of his boyfriend. His scent was always comforting to Yunho, a mixture of something woodsy with something sweet and a hint of mint from the gum Mingi usually chewed. He loved the way Mingi smelled. He loved everything about Mingi. **He loved Mingi. **_

_ The blonde pulled away from his comfty spot on Mingi's shoulder so he could face the red head. The pair stared at each other with stars in their eyes. "How did I get so lucky to have someone like you in my life? Song Mingi you make the happiest man on the planet." He gave MIngi a peck on his nose and giggled as the other scrunched up his nose cutely. "I love y-"_

Yunho's eyes snapped opened and he was greeted with the oh so familiar sight of the dark hospital ceiling. He could feel the heat in his cheeks and whined as he turned to burry his face in his pillow. It had been almost two weeks since the whole sleeping situation with Mingi and his nightmares for the most part had stopped. He still had them from time to time but, now instead of nightmare something else plagued his dreams. _Mingi. _

He would often dream of them going out to see the leaves or play in the snow. They'd do things like throw leaves at each other and build snowmen. _They would kiss, cuddle, hold hands, and sweet talk each_ _other. _Yunho didn't necessarily dislike the dreams (he actually loved them) but, with every passing day it grew harder and harder to not actually kiss Mingi or hold his hand or do other coupley things. Especially when Yeosang and Seonghwa would come visit and act all lovey dovey. _He wanted Mingi to look at him like how Seonghwa would look at Yeosang._

_Like he was his entire world._

He wanted to do all those coupley things with Mingi. He wanted to be broke college students together (even if Mingi wouldn't really be broke since he had Seonghwa to support him) and go on cheesey dates together. He wanted to go on trips together and see the world with the red head at his side. 

Yunho sighed into his pillow and turned to face the familiar hospital window. The trees were now stripped completely bare of the leaves, the few stray ones that remained were wilted and brown. The hospital courtyard was also free of any leaves, only a few dustings remained here and there. They were the few remnants left of autumn as winter started to make it's way in. The blonde would miss autumn and all the colors it brought, but he was also ready for the winter. Hopefully by the time the first snow hit he'd be healthy enough to go out into the snow with his friends. Maybe Mingi would be better too and they'd be able to go in the snow together. Maybe they'd be able to play in the snow and if he got to cold Mingi could warm him u-

Yunho whined and covered his face with his hands, he could feel how his cheeks were burning up beneath them. He really needed to stop thinking about Mingi and get some sleep. _Mingi. _Yunho turned away from the window and turned to face the sleeping read head. He was sleeping with his back to Yunho, his quiet snores being the only sound in the room. His hair faded a bit but, it was still so vibrant it put the autumn leaves to shame.

Yunho watched as his friend slept and he could feel his own eyes starting to grow heavy. Mingi's presence would always calm Yunho without fault, even if he was asleep. "G'night Mingi...."The blonde mumbled sleepily and a small smile made it's way to sleep as he was swept away to the land of dreams.

That night he fell asleep with a warm feeling in his heart...a bit _too_ warm it almost..._hurt?_

* * *

* * *

_The tension in the room was nearly palpable. All the boys in the group were watching, **waiting,** for someone to slip up. Sharp eyes board into Yunho as he bit his lip in concentration, contemplating his next move. He would not fall here, not now. He delicately ran his finger up the small structure, searching. Searching for the right move. Then, **he felt it****.**_

_ A loose one. The others gasped and watch him with wide eyes as he started to wiggle the block loose. The whole time he was holding his breath and slowly, centimeter by centimeter, he slowly pushed the block until it fell from the tower. For a second everyone stayed silent then, chaos erupted._

"Ahahahaha! And you guys thought I was gonna lose." Yunho grinned as he waved the Jenga block around. Jongho, Wooyoung, San, and Yeosang had came to visit Yunho and Mingi. They had been playing Jenga for nearly 20 minutes now and the tower's bottom half was nothing but rickety bricks that would surely cause it to topple if they were pulled. The top half was so top heavy that if you weren't careful it would also cause the tower to come crashing down.

"H-How!?"

"Y-You're just lucky!"

"Yah! Yunho you're cheating somehow aren't you!"

"Jongho's dead, there no way he'll survive this turn!"

The cacophony of voices quieted down as everyone stared at the maknae in silence as he stared at the tower of stacked bricks. They watched with wide eyes and furrowed brows as Jongho continued to stare at the tower calmly, with an almost bored expression. He finally raised a hand and reached towards the tower to make his move. _The group of boys held their breaths as Jongho's hand inched closer to the tower. This was it, there was no way Jongho could survive this round, he would surely lo-_

Everyone's eyes grew into saucers as Jongho simply flicked out one of the Jenga blocks like nothing. For a moment there was silence then, once again, _chaos._

"H-How did you do that?!" 

"That's impossible you should've lost!"

"Do you really have to be good at everything?!"

"You aren't human!" 

"What can I say? I'm simply perfect in every way." Jongho said in a monotone voice and cupped his own cheeks with his hands, "Choi Jongho, _the golden maknae.~"_

"I'm gonna throw Shiber at you!"

San screeched and held the plush dog to his chest upon hearing his boyfri- _Wooyoung's _words. "Leave my baby out of this!" He puffed his cheeks out and looked at Wooyoung with a determined look in his eyes. Even though he was trying to look tough, San just looked like angry puppy.

"I thought I was your baby!" Wooyoung huffed and crossed his arms. 

"You are!....Shiber is just my more important baby!" Wooyoung whined in response and the rest of the room broke out into giggles.

Mingi and Yunho were seated together in Yunho's bed with the others standing around the bed as they played the game. "Good luck Sangie! There's no way you can get out of this one!" Mingi snickered. Yeosang gulped as he stared at the tower of imposing blocks with wide eyes. The brunette slowly reached out and gently started feeling along the side of the tower for any loose bricks but, luck was not on his side today. As soon as he came in contact with the tower it toppled over and the bricks clattered all over the dinner tray they had been playing on.

For a second there was silence then, _chaos. **Again**. _

The room bustled with noise as the boys broke out into laughter. The only one who wasn't laughing was Yeosang who was currently busy pouting over his loss. 

"Get ready because I'll have my vengeance In round two!" Yeosang huffed as he helped the group of boys stack the bricks in a tower again. Most of them still quietly laughing from Yeosang's loss. Yunho loved days like these. When he friends would come to see him and they'd spend the day just laughing and enjoying each others company. Nothing mattered in these moments, not Yunho's heart condition, not the fact the fact that he was still in the hospital, _nothing. _He felt _normal _in these moments. Yunho would almost for get that he was even in a hos-

_Crash._

Out of the blue, Yunho eyes widen and his laughter halted as a sudden flash of pain struck his heart. It had been so sudden Yunho had dropped the brick he was holding and it clattered on the dinner tray. It was for a split second but, _it was there. _It felt like someone had just jabbed a needle into his heart or like if someone had taken shards of glass and ground them into the flesh of his heart. The pain was short but so intense it knocked the wind out of Yunho and brought a tear to his eyes. Even after it subsided a dull ache was left in it's wake..

"Yunho...Are you okay?" It was then that Yunho realized none of his friends were laughing anymore. They all looked at him with concern in their eyes. _He hated seeing that look in their eyes._ The last thing he ever wanted was for anyone to worry about him, especially the people who he practically considered family.

"...H-haha of course I am! I just...lost my breath for a second?" Yunho winced as the pathetic excuse of a response left his mouth. It came out more like a question than a answer. Everyone stayed silent as they stared at the blonde with skeptical looks. Mingi looking the most worried of the bunch. The red head bit his lip as he reach towards Yunho's hand and gave it a light squeeze.

"You sure you're okay?" His eyes drilled into Yunho's skull as the pair made eye contact. He had almost never seen Mingi be anything except happy and energetic so, seeing him look so worried and knowing that _he _was the cause made Yunho's stomach knot. _Seeing Mingi without a smile was like seeing autumn without its beautful colors._

"Pfftt I'm fine, really! Now c'mon, I can't wait to see Yeosang lose again!" Yunho waved a hand dismissively before moving to start stacking the bricks again. His friends watched him in silence for a bit before hesitantly joining him.

The rest of the day went by smoothly. As predicted by Yunho Yeosang did end up losing again, _twice _and eventually decided that he'd rather eat instead of lose again. Seonghwa joined them later on, with the chicken Yeosang had asked for, and the group spent the rest of the day laughing and enjoying themselves until one of the nurses came to to tell them visiting hours were over.

If Mingi kept throwing him concerned glances from time to time then Yunho pretended not to notice. 

_That night Yunho hardly got any sleep, his mind too busy stressing over the random ping of pain he felt in his chest earlier._

_ But, he was getting better.....right?_

* * *

* * *

Yunho sighed as he flipped through the tv channels with no interest. Today was one of the days Mingi was out for testing. Yunho's friends were on a class trip and his mother was working a late shift tonight so, the blonde was going to be alone for pretty much the whole day. Days like these really weren't his favorite, he would just lay around in bed and eat, sometimes make small talk with nurse Jane. Other than that he didn't do much besides sleep, daydream, or watch tv without paying attention.

Which is what he was currently doing. He was watching some random idol variety show and was pretty much just staring at the screen since he wasn't paying attention. Which is probably why he didn't notice when someone entered the room and creeped their way over to his bed. 

"Boo!"

Yunho jumped a bit and he immediately whipped his head In the direction where the intruder was standing. There, standing in all his tiny glory, was a giggling Yeosang. He covered his mouth with his hand as he giggled. "You almost gave me a heart attack Yeosang!….Also your hair!" Yunho stared at Yeosang's once caramel locks, now dyed a pretty pastel pink. His hair stood out even more with what he wearing. A beret perched on the crown of his head paired with choker, jeans, boots, and a large sweater. In typical Yeosang fashion it was all black, except for the sweater streaks of red and white going all over it.

"Do you like it? It was kind of a impulse decision." Yeosang said as he took a seat on the edge of Yunho's bed.

"It looks so good! You look so cute! I'm sure Seonghwa loved it too.~" Yunho wiggled his eyebrows and laughed when Yeosang reached over to playfully smack him in the arm. Yeosang cheeks were dusted a light pink now, making him look all the more cuter.

"When I came home after getting it done he practically cooed over me the whole day and kept petting my head. Good news was that he couldn't resist my charms and gave in to taking me out for chicken." Yeosang grinned and Yunho laughed once again. This was the first time he had spent alone with Yeosang. He and Seonghwa always visited as a pair and when they visited both Mingi and Yunho were in the room. It was odd not seeing the pair together, they were pretty much joined at the hip.

"Where's Seonghwa? Did he faint from your charms? Is that the real reason you're at the hospital!?" Yunho said dramatically. 

"Pfftt, and what if he did?" Yunho gasped and clapped a hand over his mouth causing Yeosang to giggle once again. "Hwa is working on the finishing touches for a gown he's working on for some actress in America. It's this biiggggg ball gown with a full tulle skirt and lots of sparkle. So far it's taken him about 90 hours and he's still not done."

"Wow! I feel like you two are always busy, guess its cause you're both amazing at what you do!" Yeosang smiled at the praise and waved his hand dismissively.

"Please, Seonghwa is the real master behind it all. I help out with what I can but I'm more of an assistant. I mostly do things like fetch fabrics or threads he needs, help cut out patterns, and stone things like blazers and bodices. I would love to help more but, Hwa won't let me since I'm still in college and he want's me to focus on my studies." He finished with a pout. Yunho's eyes widened. Yeosang was still in school?

"Wait you're still in college?" Yeosang nodded in response. "Huh? I thought you graduated with Seonghwa?"

Yeosang blinked at the blonde and shook his head with a sigh. "I wish but, alas, I'm still in school. I am only nineteen after all."

The blonde's jaw dropped and his eyes widened. "Nineteen?! I thought you were Seonghwa hyung's age!" While he could admit Yeosang did look young he would've never expect him to be only a year older than him and all his friends. Who knew there was a three year age difference between Yeosang ang Seonghwa? Yeosang for sure held himself like a mature twenty two year old would.

"Pfttt please, do I look like an old man to you? I, the sickly sweet heart throbbingly cute Kang Yeosang, don't look a day over 18." The pink hair male said dramatically and Yunho laughed in response. 

"So then….I guess that makes him your sugar daddy~" Yunho said with a playful smirk. Yeosang's face immediately flushed a bright red and his lips pursed in that same way they always would when he was feeling shy. He covered his cheeks with his sweater paw clad hands and let out a little 'hmph.'

"H-He's not my sugar daddy!...He just happens to treat me often to chicken and sweets...."

"If you say so.~" Yunho teased further. Yeosang whined and reached out to give Yunho's another playful swat on the arm. "Haha, okay okay I'm done. But, wow that's crazy I had no clue you were so young and still in college! Is that where you and Seonghwa met, in college?"

"Heh heh yeah, I graduated high school when I was seventeen then went straight into college. Let me tell you I was absolutely terrified my first day of college. The school was so much bigger than my high school and since it is a fashion school everyone was dressed so nicely. Then there was me dressed in a oversized sweater and doc martens, not to mention a very, _very_ shy boy."

"You still are."

"Okay that's besides the point, let me finish my story!" Yunho giggled and nodded. "Anyways, I had managed to somehow find most of my classes on my own without asking anyone. However, it was just my luck that I would get hopelessly lost for my last class of the day. I wandered aimlessly though each building in a desperate search for my comp. class. Eventually I did try asking for help but, I could barley look at the other students in the hall so how was I supposed to talked to them? They all just walked past me as I meekly asked for help. Eventually I found my way to a outside bench and all the stress of the day became so much that I ended up sitting on the bench and balling my eyes out. " Yunho watch Yeosang intently as he spoke. The pink haired male smiled as he recited the story. "So there I was, a college freshmen who wasn't even eighteen, shy and lost beyond belief, sitting on a bench bawling my eyes out. Little did I know,** that moment would change my life for ever**."

_ Yeosang sniffled as he brought he knees up to his chest. He curled into a ball and hugged his knees tightly as he continued to cry, his little body shook from his sobs and the cold. It was snowing out and his sweater alone was doing much to keep him warm. He was beyond late for his class and it was only the first day. What was his teacher going to think of him? He was literally crying over not being able to find his class when he could easily go up and ask someone to help him....if he wasn't so shy that is. His social anxiety would go through the roof when he approached strangers. He would stuttered like crazy and his hands would get clammy._

_ "Hey, are you okay?"_

_ Yeosang stiffened open hearing the smooth voice that broke him out of his thoughts. The brunette sniffled a bit before peaking up from behind his knees. There in front of him stood a man dressed in all black. His hair was black and swept to the side and he was actually dressed appropriately for the weather, unlike Yeosang, with boots, gloves, and a long double breasted coat. **He was unbelievably handsome.** His smooth, creamy skin almost glowed and his lips were a plush pretty pink that looked extra pretty with how he was smiling at Yeosang. Yeosang could smell the cologne wafting off of him and it smelled expensive, not like the cheap stuff he would use. _

_ "I-I..." The brunette tried to speak but choked up. Great. Someone had been so kind to as come check up on him and he couldn't even properly speak to them. Fresh tears started to leak from his eyes and he expected the stranger to leave. To give him a confused or disgusted look and walk off. Instead, the handsome man began to undo his coat. Once he got the buttons undone he took it off and draped it over Yeosang's shoulders. Yeosang's eyes widened as he was engulfed in warmth. The coat was thick and shielded him from the cold. Even though the stranger was left in just a turtleneck he seemed unaffected by the cold._

_ "You must be cold in just that sweater." He said with a smile that made Yeosang's heart throb. "I'm Seonghwa." The stra-...**Seonghwa, **extended a hand out towards Yeosang. He stared at it for a few seconds before slowly accepting the hand. Seonghwa's grip was warm and frim and he gave his hand a firm shake before pulling away._

_ "Y-Yeosang...."   
_

_ "What a pretty name you have, Yeosang." Seonghwa said with another one of **those** smiles and Yeosang flushed a pretty shade a pink and looked down at his knees. " Now, what's wrong? Why are you out hear crying?'' _

_ "I-I..." Yeosang took a deep breath to calm his nerves before continuing. "I got lost....I couldn't find my last class a-and no one listened when I tried to ask for help..." A small sense of accomplishment bubbled up in his chest. He'd actually managed to talk to someone! Granted, he still stuttered a lot and couldn't make eye contact but, it was still a good start. He hugged his knees tighter as he curled closer into himself. "It's my first day and I'm almost half an hour late to class..."The brunette whispered._

_ "Well, we can't have that now can we?" _

_ Yeosang looked up at Seonghwa with wide eyes. "H-Huh?"_

_ "I'm talking about your class silly. What class is it? I'll help you find it!" The raven head finished with a grin and once again Yeosang was surprised by the male. Never had anyone been so nice to him, let alone even try to talk to him. He was always the weird kid in the class with his nose in a book. _

_ "It's Comp.1, w-with Professor Min." _

_ Seonghwa stayed silent for a moment then, broke out into laughter. Yeosang's face immediately flushed a bright red and he looked down at his knees once again. Why was Seonghwa laughing? Was he laughing at him? Was Yeosang an idiot and his class was actually really easy to find? Did he-" S-Sorry I'm not laughing at you. It's just, wow, what a huge coincidence. I'm Professor Min's teacher's aid!"_

_ Yeosang peeked up from his knees at Seonghwa. His mouth formed a little 'o' in surprise. "W-wow.." As soon as it left his mouth he wanted to slap himself. What a lame and awkward response! Why did he have to be so awkward? However, Seonghwa didn't seem to mind at all. He just chuckled as he reached out towards the brunette. _

_ "Now c'mon, let's get going before your anymore late!" Seonghwa wrapped a hand around Yeosang's wrist and pulled him to his feet. Yeosang's cheeks flushed at the contact and he kept his head down as they walked. "You my friend are lucky, Professor Min loves me. As long as we say you were with me I doubt he'll mind!"_

_ **Friend.** Seonghwa had called Yeosang his friend. He could feel his heart start to flutter and he felt all warm and fuzzy and it wasn't due to Seonghwa's coat._

_ "Friends?...." Yeosang said just above a whisper._

_ "Well, yeah! Of course were friends!" Seonghwa stopped to turn and look at Yeosang. His met with Yeosang's wide ones and they were filled with nothing but sincerity and kindness. Seonghwa grinned at the shorter male and for once, Yeosang gave a small smile in return._

_ ''..._Pretty much all throughout my childhood and high school I had no friends. I was always quiet and kept to myself and I'm a only child so. I would get bullied from time to time which just made my social anxiety worse. But....Seonghwa was the first person to ever approach me, to talk to me and help me out when I needed it. Ever since that day we've been glued to each others side. People started to come up to me and wanted to be 'friends' when they noticed I was close with the college's top student and heart throb. However, I never made an effort to befriend any them they just wanted to use me to get closer to Seonghwa. Plus, I didn't really need any other friends as long as I had Seonghwa." Yunho watched Yeosang in awe. As he spoke about Seonghwa his eyes sparkled, they were filled with nothing but adoration and love. He spoke about Seonghwa like he was his entire world.

"He taught me so many things and has giving me so many opportunities that I would've never gotten had I not met him. I get to travel the world and help him with projects and have actual experience In the fashion industry which helps me out so much in class. I feel bad sometimes because he does so much for me and I feel like I could never return the favor...But...I'd follow him to the ends of the Earth if he asked. I love him more than anything and would gladly spend the rest of my days with him.... Growing up I was never really close with my family, just with my mother. My house didn't really feel like a _home _but, when I'm with Seonghwa, no matter where we are, that's when I truly feel like I'm at home."

_Home. _

_That's exactly how Yunho felt when he was with Mingi. He felt like home._

"Home...." Yunho repeated Yeosang's words. _Home._ Warmth, comfort, _love. _That was what home felt like. _That's how Mingi made him feel._

"Yeah, home. I don't really know how to put it into words but....I could literally be on a public bus in a foreign country where I don't speak the language and as long as I was with Seonghwa i would feel at ease. He makes me feel warm on the coldest of days and makes me feel safe in any situation....Don't you have someone like that Yunho? Someone that feels like home?"

_"Mingi..."_ The blonde said without even thinking. As soon as the name left his mouth he clapped a hand over it. His eyes widened and met Yeosang's equally wide ones. _He did not just say that. He practically just admitted he had a crush on the red head!_ The pair stared at each other in silence and Yunho could hear his heartbeat in his ears with how embarrassed he was. Slowly, Yeosang lips started to curl.

" You know, if I didn't know any better I'd say you have a crush on Mingi~" Yeosang said with a sly little smile on his face. Yunho could feel his cheeks start to heat up and knew that has flush was obvious. _Curse his pale skin. _He was probably just as red as Mingi's hair. "O.M.G. You do have a crush on Mingi! That's so cute!!" Yeosang squeaked and flailed his little sweater paws around. 

"Yeosangie not so loud!" Yunho whisper-yelled. He knew that no one was around to hear but, it was still embarrassing. He covered his blazing cheeks with his hands but, chances are his whole face was red by now. "I-I...He..."The blonde took a slow, deep breath before continuing. "When you said Seonghwa made you feel you were home I...He..._Mingi feels like home_. When I'm with i forget that we're even in a hospital. The fear of not knowing whether or not I'll get better or even survive completely goes away. He make's forget all of that and makes me feel...warm. I-I don't know how to describe it but, he feels like...."

Once again the room was silent. Yunho fiddled with his fingers and was looking down at them. Then, a smaller hand made it way into his sigh as Yeosang reached out to hold his hand. Yunho looked up at the other male and Yeosang gave him a smile. "He's your home. He's like your version of Seonghwa." He gave Yunho's hand a light squeeze. "Go and get him. The way he looks at you...he has the same eyes as Seonghwa." _Same as Seonghwa?...._"Plus, you two would make the cutest couple ever i can already see it!"

The blonde snorted in response and Yeosang giggled. "Now I don't know about you but I'm starving. How do you feel about chicken?" 

"As long you're not ordering it. You'll probably choke up and ask if they sell chicken!" Yunho said with a grin as Yeosang's face flushed.

* * *

* * *

"Hongjoong hyung, why are you so tiny?" Upon hearing Mingi's question Hongjoong's face flushed and he crossed his arms as a pout started to make its way onto his lips. 

"I-I'm not tiny! You two are just giants!" Hongjoong said with a pout. Mingi and Yunho glanced at each other before breaking out into laughter. The shorter male huffed and crossed his arms as his face flushed a darker red. "I-It's true! 5'7 is a perfectly average height!"

"Yeah except you're always in boots or shoes that give you height so you're more around 5'5." 

"Y-Yah! Shouldn't you two be respecting me more, I am your hyung!" Yunho continued to laugh as he recalled times when they would go out to the arcade and people would ask if Hongjoong was his little brother or go to the movies and easily let Yunho into R rated films but stop Hongjoong and ask to see his ID. He may have been his hyung but he sure didn't look like it. 

"Whatever you say, _ahjussi~" _Mingi said with a sly little smirk. Hongjoong had recently bleached his hair and it was more white than Yunho's. Of course it looked great on him but, a little teasing never hurt anyone.

"Who-who are you calling ahjussi! What, is it 'bully Hongjoong day' today?!" Hongjoong said with a loud whine. The pair continued their laughter and Hongjoong continued his pouting. 

"S-Sorry hyung, were just teasing." Yunho said in between his giggles. Hongjoong was having none of it, the pint size male huffed and turned his head away from the pair. Even though he was mad Yunho couldn't help but think how cute Hongjoong looked sitting there in his oversized sweater with his feet just barley being able to graze the hospital floor. "Awe, hyung we're really sorry. Right Mingi?" The red head clutched his head as he continued his loud laughter. Yunho huffed before reaching out and-

_Flick_

_ -_unleashing the red head's worst enemy, _the finger flick. _Mingi clutched his forehead in pain and whined as he pouted towards the blonde. "Y-Yeah we were just play-ow did you really have to do it so hard?-ing Hongjoong hyung." 

"Would cuddles make it up to you?" Hongjoong instantly perked up upon hearing the blonde. Never in a million years would Hongjoong ever admit it but, he _loved_ skin ship, even if he often said he hated it. Yunho remembered the first time he had gone over to Hongjoong's house he was taken aback by the amount of plushies he owned. They were all different characters of different sizes but, after a quick trip to the restroom and returning to find Hongjoong asleep and snuggled up with a rather large minion plushie he understood why he had them all. _His hyung was a sucker for cuddles. _

Hongjoong didn't respond but, him reaching down to take off his boots was more than a answer. Once Hongjoong got his boots off he climbed onto the bed and sat in front of the pair for a few moments. His cheeks were still dusted with color and he was looking down at the bed sheets as he debated his next move. Luckily Yunho decided for him as he opened his arms and Hong gladly made his way into them. Hongjoong laid in between Mingi and Yunho and sighed at the warmth as he snuggled closer into the blonde's chest. 

"Happy now?" The shorter male nodded eagerly and the trio adjusted so Hongjoong was perfectly sandwiched in-between them with Mingi and Yunho's arms over his waist. Hongjoong's tiny body surprisingly produced a lot of hear, he was pretty much a fun sized furnace. Yunho sighed in content and snuggled closer into the warmth. They decided to watch tv for a bit and put on some random variety show where an idol group with eight boys participated in a variety of game in hopes of winning a grand prize of grade A Korean beef.

"Remember when we used to want to be Idols Yunho?" Hongjoong's quiet voice cut through the silence.

"Oh boy do I ever, _Pan.~" _Yunho said with a smirk. Hongjoong groaned and covered his face with hands. Mingi on the other hand just stared at the two in confusion.

"Pan?"

"Back in the day we used to be idols and out little hyung here had wanted his stage name to be Pan. Let me tell you at the time it seemed so cool but now it's kinda silly and became somewhat of a inside joke." It was around their Sophomore year when Yunho and his friends had decided to become idols. Their group consisted of Hongjoong, Wooyoung, San, Jongho, and of course himself. 

Those days consisted of lots of 'rehearsals' which mainly consisted of them joking around, snacking, and trying to do covers on intense idol group choreography. Eventually the group came to a consensus that maybe Idol life wasn't for them but, it was through this experience that Yunho discovered what his calling in life was. _Dance._

The blonde not only loved danced but he was also amazing at it. When he danced it was like he was one with the music. It was like fire flowing through his veins as passion exploded through him and filled every movement he made. People would sometimes even cry upon seeing him perform, so enthralled and enraptured by his passionate performance that it brought tears to their eyes.

Dancing was his passion and was what he most looked forward to when he got out of the hospital. He missed it more than anything. He missed the fire in his veins and the adrenalin pumping through him.

"We went all for a whole three months thinking we were going to be idols until we realized maybe it wasn't for us. Of course we had the looks for it but lots of us liked not following strict regimes and eating snacks so. However, Yunho here did keep dancing afterwards and let me tell you he's a menace on the stage!" .

"I would've never discovered dance if it wasn't for you guys. Had we not done all those dance covers I'd probably be on my way to becoming a doctor or some other boring job."Yunho rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as he cheeks flushed a light pink.

"Pfft please! Dancing is your passion Yunho, it's like destiny for you and dance to meet. The fact that you took to it so good and became captain of the schools dance team in a matter of months is proof. Not to mention how all the recruiters from universities can't believe you only started a couple years ago." Hongjoong wrapped his arms around Yunho and snuggled closer into his chest. Maybe Hongjoong was right. Maybe Yunho and dance were destined to meet each other. He had always been interested in it but, never knew where to start. The dance covers he and his friends did when they were younger was just the catalyst that finally introduced him into it. 

"Don't you dance too Mingi?" 

"Yeah! I was on my way to studying dance before I, ya know, got hospitalized." The red head said with a chuckle. " Let me tell you though I was pretty good if I do say so myself! I felt on top of the world when I was on stage! As soon as I'm out of here I'm getting right back to it. _It's my passion._ I love dance probably more than Seonghwa loves fashion." Mingi finished with one of signature grins. "And Hopefully one day after this is over maybe we could dance together." Mingi reached for Yunho's hand a gave it a light squeeze.

"Yeah, I'd love that." Yunho squeezed his hand in return and gave the red head a sweet little smile. Only one thing in the world gave him the same feelings that dance did. That thing,_ person,_ was Mingi.

"Can you two not have some sappy lovey dovey moment while I'm sandwhiched between you? I'm gonna get cavities from how sickeningly sweet you guys act." Hongjoong scrunched up his nose at the pair who in turn laughed at their short friend. The trio fell into a comfortable silence as they continued to watch the show. 

After watching the show for a bit Hongjoong drifted off to sleep. The short male could fall asleep anywhere at anytime and could hardly make it through it a show or movie without falling asleep so it was no surprise to Yunho when he heard the familiar quiet snoring. Eventually Mingi also fell asleep then, Yunho did as well. The trio were snuggled close to each other as they were swept away to the land of dreams.

Yunho had been the first one to wake up, mainly due to Hongjoong's hair tickling his nose. The blonde opened his eyes and blearily glanced at the bright red numbers on the clock. 6:30, they had been asleep for almost two hours and surprisingly no nurse had came in and woken them to scold them and tell them that Hongjoong shouldn't be in the bed with them. He sighed and turned his gaze to his friends. Mingi was fast asleep with an arm thrown over both Hongjoong and Yunho's waists. Hongjoong was practically laying on top of Yunho and snored quietly as he snuggled closer into the blonde chest. Yunho couldn't help but smile as his friend's antics. He and Hongjoong had been friends since elementary school so things like this were pretty common for the pair. Often times Hongjoong would come up to him and just plop down in his lap or invite the blonde over just so he could cuddle with him and take a nap.

It didn't take long for the other two boys to wake up...well at least for Mingi it didn't. Hongjoong on the other hand took around another half hour to wake up and the only reason he did was because Yunho and Mingi feebly tried to stifle their giggles as they realized whatever product Hongjoong had used on his hair made it stiff enough to where they could shape it into ears and it would retain it's shape. He whined and swatted at their hands and when Hongjoong sat up and glared at them with a pout that's when their giggles could no longer be stifled. Hongjoong just looked so cute with his pouty face and sleep mused hair, especially since it was still in the shape of ears.

"What's a guy gotta do to get some sleep around here." He huffed and reached up to rub his eyes. Hongjoong's eyes were glossy from sleep and his cheeks were puffed out in a pout with a light dusting of red on them. Yunho and Mingi stared at their hyung in silence for a few seconds then, couldn't help but succumbed to their desires of cooing over the boy.

"Ahhh how are you our hyung when you're so cute!!" Mingi cooed and reached out to pinch Hongjoong's cheek. 

''H-Hey!"

"Awe hyung really is the cutest!" Yunho cooed and reached out to pinch Hongjoong's other cheek.

"Guyyysss," Hongjoong whined and squirmed free of their grasps. His cheeks were flushed a bright red now. "First Wooyoung now you two. He did the same thing during lunch time."

"Oh! Let's play Uno! Do you have the cards hyung?" Yunho asked upon hearing about Hongjoong's lunch time. They used to always play Uno during lunch. 

Hongjoong hummed in thought and sat there for a few seconds before hopping off the bed and walking over to his school bag. He rummaged around it for a few seconds before successfully pulling out the deck of cards. "One of you better shuffle because last time I tried the cards end up scattered around the cafeteria." Hongjoong hopped back on the bed and situated himself in front of the other boys.

"I'll shuffle." Hongjoong hummed in response and handed the cards to Mingi. The red head took them out of the box and started to shuffle them, his hands shaking a bit as he did. As Mingi shuffled and dealed the cards Yunho noticed that his chest felt....sore? The blonde however chose to ignore it and merely attributed it to Hongjoong having pretty much slept on him. It would probably go away in a few minutes anyways so he thought nothing of it.

"Okay fellas and the starting card is-" Mingi grinned as he dramatically drew a card from the top of the deck and slapped it on the bed."-seven, red! My lucky number and color, there's no way you two are winning!" 

Yunho held his cards up to cover his grin as the game began. He had a _godly _hand which consisted of three +4 cards, a wild card, and two red cards. There was no way he was losing this match.

_The game was a fierce battle filled with piercing eyes and sly grins. For Yunho it was merely a matter of maintaining a decently sized hand and waiting for his opponents to dwindle down to one or two cards before unleashing his furry. Hongjoong had almost won twice but, his attempts were stated but Yunho's wild card and one of his +4's. Mingi came close to winning a few times but, also was stopped by Yunho. At this point in the game Yunho victory was almost guaranteed. He only had three cards in hand while Hongjoong and Mingi both had more than seven._

**However,** the whole time the played the ache in Yunho's chest hadn't dissipated if anything it increased. _A slight burn was now in it place. _Once again Yunho ignored it, too enthralled in their game to really care.

_As the game continued Mingi and Hongjoong realized Yunho's victory was almost garunteed so the pair decided to use their combined forces to take the blonde down. Alas, Yunho had a perfect counter for all their moves. He wasn't known for being obnoxiously lucky for no reason. He had skips and reverses to protect himself as well as +2s and +4s to stack on the ones used against him._

"UNO!" Yunho yelled with a grin and true to his word there was only one card in his hand.

"N-No fair! How are you so lucky!" Hongjoong huffed and looked down at his hand with wide eyes as he contemplated what the best move would be. Silenced filled the air as Hongjoong debated on what to do. After a few seconds he sighed in defeat and merely placed a blue six on top of the stack. "It's all up to you Mingi! Fighting!"

Yunho and Hongjoong switched their gazes to Mingi and the red head gulped as he looked down at his hand. His eyes scanned over each card as he considered what the best option was. _The tension in the air could be cut with a butter knife. _Yunho watched Mingi with wide eyes. If the red head placed down any plus card his chances for victory would be crushed. Mingi stared at his card for a bit longer before finally reaching for a card. Both Hongjoong and Yunho sucked in a breath as Mingi slowly placed his card down on top of the stack. _A wild card._

"You got this Mingi! There's a three out of four chance of you getting it right!"

Mingi stared at the wild card with wide eyes as he bit his lip in thought. You could practically hear the gears turning in his head. Mingi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After a few moments he opened them and a determined look made it's way onto his face."I choose....red!"

_Once again silence filled the room._

Hongjoong and Mingi's eyes snapped towards Yunho, anticipation filled them to the brim. The blonde looked down at his card then, at the wild card then, once again at his card. Eventually Yunho sighed in defeat as he reached out to the deck to draw a card. A grin started to make it way on Hongjoong and Mingi's faces as they watched his hand reach for the deck but, it would shortly be outshined by Yunho's because that was exactly what he wanted them to do. He led the pair into a false sense of security and once they realized Yunho was reaching out to put his card over the stack their eyes widened once again. _This was it, he was going to win. _Yunho was just about to but his card down when-

_Gasp._

Yunho's gasp cut through the air and he brought a hand up to clutched his chest tightly, the hand that held his card also tightened it's grip. The slight burn in his chest suddenly sky rocketed into a intense pain. _It felt like his body was on fire._

"Y-Yunho?"

The blonde clenched his teeth and his whole body trembled as he struggled to breath. _He wanted to scream, cry for help, and tell his friends how much it hurt but, he couldn't. _The air had been completely knocked out of his lungs and what few breaths he managed to take _burned. _Yunho gasped loudly as the pain sky rocketed once again. Tears started to fill his eyes and he collapsed back onto the bed. The card he had once been clenching in his hand was forgotten as released in in favor of clutching his chest with both his hands.The sheet's felt rough and itchy against his burning skin and he squirmed and thrashed his head around as his pain continued. 

"Yunho!"

Yunho wheezed for breath as he continued to squirm on the bed. His ears started to ring and his heart felt like it going too fast and too slow at the same time. He shut his eyes and clutched his chest tighter as the pain continued to increase._ It felt as though someone was squeezing his heart in a iron grip in attempt to make it burst. Or like if burning hot lava was injected in his veins and was now flowing throughout his body. _His nails dug into the flesh of his chest and a feeble sob ripped through him.

"God damnit no! N-Not again." Yunho feebly cracked his eyes open and saw Hongjoong rapidly pressing the call button with tears in his eyes. "F-Fine I'll get them myself!" Hongjoong jumped off the bed and didn't even bother with shoes as he ran out of the hospital room.

_N-No...don't leave me...please..._

Everything sounded like static and he could feel himself start to lose consciousness as he continued to gasp for air. 

"Yunho!? Yunho! Yunho stay with me!" Yunho could barley register Mingi's words. _Everything burned._ It felt like his heart was ablaze and burning him from the inside out. A shrill ringing began in his ears and he could feel his consciousness start to fade. His friend's panicked yelling completely faded into the background as Yunho's vision grew darker and darker.

_Mingi...._

He feebly reached for the red head with a shaking hand. _Yunho was scared. _He hadn't had a heart problem this severe since the first one and this was far, _far _worse than that one. The pain he felt now made his first one feel like a walk in the park. 

_Was he going to...**die**?_

Just as a familiar warmth engulfed Yunho's hand his vision completely faded to black. Normally Mingi's presence and warmth would always calm him down but, in this moment it only made him more scared. _He could barley feel Mingi's hand in his own. _The noises that once filled the room grew quieter and quieter until, _silence. _

_ **That was the day, Jeong Yunho's heart stopped.**_

_The last card in his hand had been a red seven._

* * *

* * *

_Silence._

The only sound the filled the room was the ticking of the wall clock and the beeping of his heart monitor.

Yunho was seated in the hospital bed and stared out the window. Not the window he was used to. Yunho had been taken to the I.C.U after his heart attacked and had rested there a few days before being transferred into a room that he had all to himself. _He hated it._ He hated how quiet the room was, how the pungent smell of sanitizer flooded the room, and how the only thing he could see from the window was the dreary parking lot. He hated how empty the room was and how ghostly white everything was but, most of all he hated how _alone _he was. _He missed Mingi. _He missed the constant companionship.

_He missed the warmth he felt when he was around Mingi. He missed the security he felt around. He missed his laughter and smile. _

Yunho hadn't seen the red head since the day his heart stopped. _His heart had literally stopped._ Had Hongjoong and Mingi not been there to fetch help he would've died. _He **did **die. _It was only for a few seconds but, his heart had stopped. Yunho sighed as he continued to look out the hospital window. All he could see was cars. There was not a tree or leaf in sight. _Everything was so lifeless. _

His reflection stared back at him from the window. Yunho's skin was paler than usual and his eyes lacked the light they usually held. Even his cheeks which were notorious for usually having some dusting of color on them were pale. He looked thinner, so much so that the hospital gown on him fit him looser than it already did. His hand also had a nasty purple and green bruise from where the I.V had been inserted into him. However, the most noticeable change in his appearance was _his eyes._ They used to hold so much light in then, so much emotion, _so much life. He looked as souless as the parking lot outside. _He also had bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep over the past few days.

Yunho's nightmares had returned once he started sleeping in the room. Except this time they were more like flashbacks rather then nightmares. There was no ripping flesh or doctors in latex suits that plagued his dreams, oh no, the only thing there was, was a continuous repeat of the moment he had died. He would hear Mingi's and Hongjoong's panicked voices as they yelled for help. He would feel the unbearable burning sensation in his chest as he struggled to breath_. Every time he closed his eyes the memory would replay and it felt like he was dying over and over again._

** _ 'You're getting better.'_ **

_ Just thinking about the phrase he heard over and over again made him want to wretch._

The blonde sighed and turned to face the room door, unable to look at his reflection anymore. Outside his mother spoke with the doctor, their voices muffled through the closed door. The pair had been speaking for a while now but, Yunho could barley make out what they were saying through the closed door. _His mother had been the first one he saw when he woke up._

_ Yunho's eyes stung as they were met with bright white lights of the hospital. His body felt heavy and ached all over. What had happened? Where was he? Why did everything ache? Where was Mingi? He looked around the foreign room. It was much smaller then the one he and Mingi shared and there was large pieces of equipment that he was hooked up to. Everything was so white and sterile to the point that it scared him. _

_ The last thing he remembered was being in his room with Mingi and Hongjoong and then....then..._

_ His heart...._

_ He had another attack, his first that he had gotten since being admitted to the hospital._

_ The pain had been unbearable, he could still feel the ghost of the burn he had felt in his chest. _

_ He gazed around at the room. At all the machines he was hooked up to. He had no clue what any of them did but just looking at them made him anxious._

_ What had happened? Had his attack really been that bad?..._

_ A click caught his attention and he switched his gaze to the door. It was his mother. Her eyes were red and tear tracks stained her face. _ ** _She looked exhausted. _ ** _The bags under her eyes had grown and she looked so fraile and tired. A few small hics left her mouth but, they ceased as she met eyes with her son. She stood there staring at Yunho with wide eyes, almost as if she didn't believe that he was really there. _

_ Yunho wanted to call out to her. He wanted to reach out to her. The exhaustion in his body was too much though so he laid there staring at her with eyes that were barley open. It didn't take much longer for her to snap out of her trance as her eyes overflowed with tears. _

_ "Yunho!!" She wailed as she ran over to her son. She reached for his hand and pulled it close to her rather than hugging him, scared that she would bring more pain to the blonde. He looked so fragile and weak and it made her heart yearn for him to finally be free of this. For him to no longer be in pain and fear. For him to finally start living again._

_ "Oh baby, I th-thought I was going to lose you." She said in between her sobs. She clutched his hand tightly and brought it up to her cheek. Yunho felt so....**cold. **He felt so cold and it only made her cries grow louder. Her son. Her baby. Her baby boy. What was going to happen to him?_

_ Yunho watch as his mother cried and his own eyes began to tear up. He wanted to hold her and tell her sorry. Sorry for all the pain and tears he had brought her. He wanted to cry and sob and tell her just how scared he was but, he couldn't. _

_ He gave her the best comfort he could which came in a weak squeeze in her hand as she continued to cry._

Yunho watched as the door to the room slowly opened and his mother came in. Her nose and eyes were red almost as if she had been crying, _which she probably had been crying. _She had shed so many tears for her son over the past few months that it made Yunho feel guilty. _He hated seeing his mom cry. _She was someone who was just as bright as him so watching her cry made his heart break. She smiled upon seeing Yunho and made her way over to him. His mother took a seat on the edge of the bed and reached out to run a hand through Yunho's blonde locks. "My baby. My beautiful baby boy." She whispered and leaned in to plant a kiss on his forehead. 

Even though she was smiling, her eyes said otherwise. _The forlorn expression in her eyes ate away at Yunho's heart._

"Eomma...what did the doctor say?" The blonde asked just above a whisper. He could see how his mother tensed up at the question. Her eyes slightly widened and it only took a few seconds for them to get glossy with tears once again. The silenced thickened in the air as the pair stared at each other. His mother took a took a deep breath before responding. _The hitch in her breath a sign that she was struggling to hold back her tears._

"Everything is going to be okay honey. Y-Your probably going to be in this room for a while but, as soon as you're better you'll be able to go back with Mingi-ah and maybe even be out of here!" She finished with a watery smile. 

"Wh-...Eomma plea-"

"Don't worry sweetie, Eomma is gonna make sure you're okay. I-It's going to be okay"

"Eomma-"

"Oh my angel, please don't worry everything is going to be okay. The doctors are working hard to get you better a-and you'll be out of here in no time and-"

"Eomma just stop!! Ever since I've arrived here all everyone has done is lie to me! 'Your getting better, You'll be out of here soon, Don't worry everything is fine' do you know how many times I've heard those sayings!? So just stop lying and tell me the truth for once!" Yunho yelled cutting her off. His mother's eyes widened. Yunho had never yelled at his mother, **ever**. He just couldn't do it anymore._ He was tired of it. Tired of not being told the truth. Tired of having everything sugar coated to him. **Tired of not knowing whether or not any upcoming day could be his last.**_

_All he wanted was the truth._

Yunho closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could feel the tears building up in his eyes. "Eomma…. please I-I want to know the truth...If my life is at stake I...I deserve to know." Yunho said just above a whisper. _All he wanted was the truth. _Was that so much to ask for? His mother stared at him with wide wet eyes and the pair sat there in silence until she finally decided to speak up.

"Y-You're right...you do deserve to know..."She whispered as she wiped tears from here eyes. "Your heart....It's not getting any better. Y-You're chances of surviving just keep getting lower and....and..." Her breath hitched as she started to cry once again. She reached out towards her son and held him tightly as sobs started to wrack her body. 

"The doctors....I...Y-You're not going to survive unless you get a heart transpla-"She cut herself off with a choked sob. It was at that moment that Yunho's world came crashing down.

_ A transplant._

_ He needed a transplant._

Would he even survive long enough to get one?

"I-I'm so sorry baby." He mother said in between her sobs. She held Yunho tight in her arms. Her words fell on deaf ears as Yunho stared at the wall in shock. 

All the times he had been reassured he was going to be fine and he was getting better felt even more hallow than they did before. He wanted to be mad. At his mother, the doctors, the hospital staff, _himself_ but_, he couldn't. _He didn't have the right to be mad at them. They had lied and kept the severity of his condition from him but, he couldn't bring himself to be mad at them. He couldn't even be mad at himself. 

_Deep, deep, deep down he had allowed him self to **believe**, even if just for a second, that he was going to be okay. That he would survive this and be good as new in no time._

_ That this was just a bump in the road we called life and he'd be over it and back to his normal life._

_No matter how hard he tried to deny it a small part of him had believed in the optimistic fallacies they had fed him._

_ So he couldn't be mad at them, he didn't have the right too, not when he himself believed in what they had told them._

** _Not when he himself had lied to himself._ **

Yunho held his mother as she cried and, eventually, tears started to leak from his eyes as well. 

* * *

* * *

As the days went by, Yunho grew weaker and weaker. He always felt tired and his movements were sluggish. He had trouble keeping his eyes open and even breathing came with effort. His condition had gotten so bad that the nurses would hook him up to a breathing machine at night. They also hooked him up to a heart monitor to keep constant watch over his heart and some huge weird machine with all kinds of wires and such that was helping his heart distribute blood though out his body. At this point he was barley hanging on. He could barley speak and all his movements were slow and sluggish.

His chances of surviving long enough to receive a new heart and have the procedure done were looking slimmer and slimmer. Even if received the new heart before things became fatal there was still a number of risks that came with the procedure. His body might see the new heart as a foreign object and try to reject it or his new heart might fail within a few months. So many things could go wrong and it all terrified the blonde. He could really die here, alone in this hospital room. He might never feel the sun on his skin again or get to see the leaves. He might never graduated high school and pursue his dreams of dancing.

_He missed how things used to be. _

When he didn't have to worry about falling asleep and not waking up the next day. When he didn't constantly feel tired, so much so that eating became a struggle. When he could laugh freely with his friends and the only thing he had to worry about was final exams. 

_He missed his life. _

His heart condition had ripped away months from his life and.... now it was possibly going to rip away the rest of it. _However,_ no matter how much he hated what his heart condition had done to him, he was thankful for one thing. _He was thankful for meeting Mingi. _For once his condition hadn't stolen anything from him rather, it gave him the beautiful gift known as Song Mingi. During this entire ordeal Mingi had been the only one that made him feel like things really were going to be okay. He'd forget he was even in a hospital when he spent time with the red head.

"Knock Knock! You have a visitor Yunho-ssi!" Yunho jumped a bit as Nurse Jane's chipper voice cut through his thoughts.

Yunho turned his head to face the door and when he saw who was there, he smiled for the first time since being put in his new room. "Min...gi…" Their eyes met and Mingi grinned as Nurse Jane wheeled him over to Yunho's bed side. He hadn't seen the red head in what felt like forever. He would've jumped out of bed and hugged him if he could but, he settled for reaching his hand out towards him instead. Mingi reached out and surprised Yunho by intertwining their fingers._ Mingi's hands felt so_ warm. 

"I'll be back later to pick you up." Nurse Jane whispered as she left the room. She left the room and quietly closed the door behind her as she did. 

"I missed you..." Yunho croaked and Mingi gave his hand a squeeze. _Being away from Mingi for so long had felt like he was missing a part of himself._ He had missed the red head so much he almost wanted to cry now that he was here. Having Mingi here felt like a breath of fresh air.

"I missed you too. The room is too quiet with you gone. Also, the cheesy dramas aren't so bad they're good anymore they're just bad now that I have no one to watch them with." The red head said with a grin and Yunho weakly giggled in response. Mingi was ecstatic to finally see the blonde but, he appearance was worrying. Yunho was already naturally pale but, now he looked even more pale, almost blending in with the bed sheets. _If you looked close enough you could see the color of his veins._ He also looked exhausted with deep bags under his eyes, like he would pass out any second. He also looked far thinner than he did before. But, even in such a state, the blonde was still smiling.

_It broke Mingi's heart to see the blonde like this. _

"How are you feeling?” Mingi asked even though he was terrified of the answer.

"I’m...not great...…..my heart...." Mingi watched the blonde intently as he spoke. "It's not gonna last much longer..." Yunho croaked. "I...need a transplant but..." Yunho swallowed dryly in attempt to keep his emotions at bay. It was his first time seeing Mingi in days. The last thing he wanted was to cry in front of him.

"We don't know how much time I have....My last day could be in a month from now, a week, hell, it could even be today." As he spoke he could feel the tightening in his chest and the tell tale sting of tears in his eyes. The uncertaintity is what scared him the most. _They just didn't know. They didn't know how long he'd survive or how long it would take for him to recieve a new heart._ "All this time they told me I was getting better and, well...look at me now." The blonde said with a sad little chuckle. "...I won't survive unless I get a transplant....and even if I get one there's still no guarantee that I'll survive."

"Yunho.…"

"I'm on the wait list for a new heart but....we don't know how long it'll take." Yunho whispered. He closed his eyes when he finished speaking, scared that he would start crying if he didn't. He didn't want to see the expression on Mingi's face, that heart wrenching sadness. Yunho hated to see his friend sad especially since Mingi is always all smiles. "I might not even live long enough to get one..."

**"You will."**

Yunho cracked his eyes open and he glanced towards Mingi. "H-Huh?" The red head squeezed Yunho's hand gently and smiled at the blonde. 

"You will survive this Yunho. I have no doubt. Plus we still have to dance together one day!" He flashed the blonde one of his signature grins. _That grin. _The one that always brought Yunho so much warmth and happiness. The one that made him feel safe and..._at home. _It was so bright it rivaled the sun. _He had missed it so much. The past few day had been torture without Mingi. _Seeing Mingi smile so bright with the utmost faith in Yunho almost made him believe that he would be okay. That he would survive this and be free of his dying heart.

"Yeah...we do..." Yunho whispered with a small smile. He opened his mouth to speak once again but was cut off by a yawn. Ever since his condition started to deteriorate being awake for long periods of time became harder. He was asleep most of his day,** his body exhausted from just trying to stay alive.**

"Get some sleep, you look tired." Mingi said with a smile and stroked the back of Yunho's thumb with his hand. 

"But I-I...I want to spend more time with you." Yunho frowned deeply. It was the first time he'd seen Mingi in days and he could barley stay awake to spend time with him....Not to mention he was also scared that if he fell asleep,** he would never wake up.**

"I'll be right here when you wake up. Then we can spend the rest of the day together." Mingi assured Yunho and gave the blonde's hand a light squeeze. Yunho stared at their hands then locked eyes with Mingi. _Those warm, loving, deep brown eyes that he had missed so much. _

"Pinky promise?" Yunho maneuvered his hand out of Mingi's and extended his pinky towards the red head. Mingi wasted no time in locking their pinkies.

"Pinky promise." With that Yunho sighed as he closed his eyes and after a few moments he was fast asleep. The whole time he slept the pair had kept their pinkies joined and for once, he didn't relive his death in his dreams. The fear and terror that plagued his dreams were replaced with warmth as he dreamt of autumn and all it's beautiful colors. True to Mingi's word he had been there when Yunho woke up and greeted him with the brightest of grins when he did. 

_He would forever be thankful for Mingi._

_That night Mingi cried himself to sleep._

* * *

* * *

Mingi sighed as he stared at the empty bed that once occupied a certain blonde. Even though he was allowed to visit Yunho everyday (except when the doctors took him in for testing) Mingi felt beyond lonely. Those few fleeting hours a day weren't nearly enough, he wanted to spend time with the blonde like he used to. The room felt so empty without Yunho there and it was so quiet it often gave him chills.

_ It felt foreign not having Yunho here with him. _

Yunho had become such a big part of his life over the past few months that it was almost scary how much he meant to Mingi. He meant as much to him as Yeosang and Seonghwa did, _maybe even more. _No one in his life outside of his family ever meant this much to him and it was scary. _It was scary because he might lose Yunho. _The day he had learned the severity of the blonde's condition it had felt as though someone had stabbed him in the heart. He acted strong for Yunho and told him that he would survive and it was going to be okay but, once he was in the solitude of his room the red head broke down into tears.

_Was he really going to be okay?_

He cried for hours that night, the only reason he stopped being that he cried so much that he passed out from exhaustion. Yunho could really be taken from him and probably would if he didn't receive a transplant in time. The fear of losing him was deeply rooted in his chest and it grew every time he saw the blonde and realized he really wasn't getting any better. 

_ He couldn't imagine a world without Yunho._

_ A world without those blonde locks and bright eyes. Without those pretty round cheeks that would have a natural blush on them when he woke up. Without that cute laughter and lovely smiles. He had already lost Yunho once and he wouldn't be able to take it if he lost him again, for good this time._

The though of losing Yunho made his chest ache and he wasn't even the one with the heart condition. The way Yunho made him feel it was like....like...

_Like how Yeosang made Seonghwa feel._

He wanted to hold and blonde close and whisper sweet nothings into his ear. He wanted to spend every day with Yunho and have them filled with nothing but happiness and laughter. He wanted to kiss away his tears when he was plagued by nightmares and uncertainties and tell him it was going to be okay. He wanted...._Yunho. _

_Click._

Mingi snapped out his thoughts and turned towards the hospital room door and watched as Seonghwa entered the room. As always his brother was elegantly dressed in black and looked as handsome as ever. The only thing different was that he didn't have Yeosang clingy to his arm.

"Hyung!" Mingi grinned as Seonghwa entered the room. Seonghwa smiled at his sibling as he walked towards the bed. When he reached in his pulled the red head in for a hug and he eagerly reciprocated the action. "I missed hyung, where have you been!?" The red head huffed as they pulled away.

"Sorry I was busy with work as always." He said with a smile as he took a seat in the chair next to Mingi's bed.

"Hmph, if I didn't know any better I'd say you love your work more than my." The red head stuck his lip out in a faux pout.

"Please, there's nothing I love more than my adorable baby brother." Seonghwa cooed and reached out with both his hands to pinch Mingi's cheeks. "Cuutteeee. Even if you're taller than me you're still my baby brother.~" He cooed as he stretched the red head’s cheeks.

"How are you feeling?" Seonghwa reached out and gently took one of Mingi's hands into his own. Seonghwa knew how much Yunho's condition was affecting him. The day after his first time visiting Yunho in his new room Seonghwa had came to visit him.

_"Huh? Where's Yunho?" Mingi's heart sank upon hearing the question. Seonghwa had just arrived and of course the first thing that left hid mouth was questioning where the blonde was._

_ "H-He...has his own room now..." He said just above a whisper. His heart broke upon being reminded of the blonde. Not that he could even forget him. Yunho constantly plagued his thoughts as he worried about the blonde._

_ "...Did something happen to him?"_

_ Mingi stared down at his hands unable to bring himself to look at his brother. They trembled slightly and he clenched and unclenched his fists. "His heart it...it stopped. he died....it wasn't for long but...." The red head swallowed dryly as memories of Yunho's lifeless body in his arms came rushing back to him. "It....It happened here in this room...right next to me. I-I felt so helpless hyung! He w-was dying and I couldn't do a thing just watch...I couldn't even get out of the bed and get help..." Mingi blinked away his tears and looked up to lock eyes with Seonghwa. His brothers eyes were wide and his mouth agape._

_ "His heart.....It's...."The red head took a deep breath and clutched the sheets before continuing. "He needs a new one....He won’t survive unless he gets a transplant." His voice was barley above a whisper. Seonghwa stared at him in silent shock._

_"They don't know how much time he has left a-and if he'll even live long enough to recieve a new heart...." Mingi broke eye contact and once again looked down at his hands as he continued to speak. "He's all alone in that room with all these machines and he looks so tired....I-I don't know what I'd do if I lost him hyung. He's made my stay here so much more enjoyable and I feel so helpless. I want to help him but I cant...." He clutched the sheets tightly as he continued to speak._

_ "I-I'm just so scared hyung....I don't want to lose him..." Mingi's voice waivered as he held back his tears and he clutched the bed sheets so tight his knuckles turned white. Light tremors wracked through his body as he did his best to hold back his tears. "I-I just care about him so much and I-I....I can't see myself without him...Even though he's on the verge of death h-he's more worried about other people than himself...He's scared of leaving his mom alone with all those bills and of making people worry a-and..."He exhaled shakily and looked down at his clenched hands. "I don't want to lose someone again...."Mingi finished, his tone just above a whisper. Silence filled the room as the seconds ticked by. Mingi couldn't bring himself to look at Seonghwa, scared that if he did he'd surely start crying._

** _"I'll cover his hospital bills."_**

_ "H-Hyung?...." Mingi looked up at his brother with wide wet eyes. He almost wanted to pinch himself, did Seonghwa really just say that? Seonghwa smiled at Mingi and reached out to thread a hand through Mingi's hair and pull his head close to his chest. _

_ "I'll cover them. I can't do anything about the wait list but, I can ensure that he gets the best care he can and that if-no- **when** he get's out of here his family isn't riddled with hospital bills." Seonghwa leaned down and kissed the top of Mingi's head and began stroking his back with his free hand. "Before you say it you know money is no issue for me. I'd pay any amount to keep you happy Mingi and I can see how happy he makes you. You look at him with stars in your eyes and he makes you smile so bright it reminds of me of the times before all the hospitals and treatments."_

_ Mingi stayed silent for a few second before a sob ripped through his body. He tightly embraced Seonghwa as he cried into his chest. "H-Hyung..I-I...thank you.." _

_ "For you, anything....Plus, **Yunho is family**. I'd adopted him if i could." Seonghwa finished with a chuckle._

_ "As long as I'm still you're favorite brother."Mingi said inbetween his sniffles._

_ "Actually, now that I think about Yunho is really cute. He might just take your spot."_

_ "H-Hey!" Mingi pulled away from Seonghwa and looked up at him with a pout. Seonghwa in turn only laughed in response and eventually Mingi's laughter joined his._

"I'm...better." Mingi gave his brother’s hand a light squeeze in return and smiled. "Yunho's not looking any better but....he's not looking any worse either so I guess that's good. Nurse Jane takes me to visit him every day but, it still gets lonely around here without him..."The red head sighed and frowned. It felt like he was back in his bland hospital room in Germany. He had no roommate and Seonghwa didn't have the luxury to visit him as often as he does now so things were pretty lonely.

Seonghwa reached out and placed a hand over Mingi's. "He's going to be okay. Yunho is strong, he will beat this." Mingi looked down at their hands then up at Seonghwa. Their eyes locked and he gave his brother a smile. _He was right, Yunho was strong, he will survive. _

"Where's Sangie? That boy is more clingy than Hongjoong, I'm surprised you were even able to step foot out of the house without him."

"At home with a stomach ache because he ate too many sweets last night." Seonghwa said with a sigh. "He kept whining about wanting to come with me but there's no way I'm taking him anywhere in the condition he's in.”

"You know the only reason that happens is because you buy him all those sweets right?" Seonghwa sighed again and nodded in response. He couldn't deny that yes, the only reason Yeosang was able to get his hands on so many sweets was because of him but, hey. If you had a boyfriend as cute as Kang Yeosang would you be able to tell him no?

"Okay in my defense it's like impossible to say no when he calls me 'Hwa hyungie' and gives me those puppy eyes and that pout." He had just gotten home from a meeting and barley sat down on the living room sofa when he was met with a lap full of Yeosang. The pink haired male wore nothing except one of Seonghwa's hoodies which when paired with his puppy eyes and fluffy pink messy hair it was near impossible for Seonghwa to resist him when he asked for sweets.

"Hyung you're so whipped." 

"Like how you are for Yunho?" Seonghwa said with a smirk. 

Mingi's face flushed just as red as his hair. Hell even his ears were red. "I-I'm not whipped for Yunho!" Seonghwa didn't respond, he merely raised a brow and stared at Mingi with and expectant look. ".......Okay maybe I'm a little whipped." Mingi said bashfully and rubbed the back of his neck.

"A little? You're so gay for Yunho you make Yeosang look straight and the only thing straight about him is his hair. And it's not even straight half the time!" After that the pair fell into silence...then both burst out into laughter. Seonghwa had always had a knack for making Mingi laugh. No matter how sad or down the red head was his brother could always make him laugh.

As the pair's laughter died down and a comfortable silence surround them. 

His brother always was there for him when he needed him the most. When their mom had died he had taken a week off university to make sure Mingi was okay. That week had been one filled with tears and grief but, having Seonghwa there made it far more easier to soldier through. His brother would hold him as he cried for as long as he needed. They’d go through old family albums together and home videos and reminace on the times when their mother was still with them. No one would ever be as close to him as Seonghwa was...or so he thought. 

When Seonghwa first introduced him to Yeosang the red head he was skeptical but, quickly the short male grew on him. He would always be over at their house and spend time with the siblings. So much so that whenever he wasn't there things felt oddly quiet. That short, shy, awkward boy had wormed his way into his heart and basically became a brother to him. _He was family, just like Yunho._

He loved Seonghwa and Yeosang unconditionally. _He would **forever** be thankful for everything his brother has done for him and for all the time the trio had spent_ _together._

After a few moments Mingi took a deep breath then, _spoke._

_ That night it was Seonghwa who cried himself to sleep._

* * *

* * *

** It was around a week later when Yunho received word of something that changed everything.**

"We have good news! We've recieved a new heart!" Yunho's jaw dropped upon hearing Dr. Kim's words. "We found a donor and can proceeded with the surgery in as quick as two days." His mother who was sitting in one of the chairs next to him immediately got up and threw her arms around the doctors as a sob ripped through her body.

This was not at all what he had been expecting when Dr. Kim had came to speak with them. If anything he had expect more bad news. He wanted to cry and for once it wasn't going to be out of fear or frustration or despair. _It'd be of happiness._ A new heart....He had really recieved a new heart.....The blonde swallowed thickly. _He was finally, **finally, **going to, hopefully, be free of this. _He'd be able to return to his old life. He was going to be able to get back on track and finish school and go to university. To be able to go out with his friends and live like a normal teen again.

"O-Oh Dr. Kim thank you! T-Thank You s-so much!" Dr. Kim was taken aback at first but, after a few seconds smiled and returned the embrace before pulling away. She then turned her gaze towards Yunho.

"Yunho-ssi. You're going to be okay. I will do everything in my power to ensure that the procedure goes as seamless as possible. Then, afterwards we will make sure you get the best treatment and therapy on your road to recovery so you can **finally** get out of here." She finished with a smile so genuine it reminded Yunho of Mingi. 

_Mingi...._

_ Mingi. The person who had made his stay at the hospital feel like everything except a hospital. The person who made him feel warm. The person who's red hair put the autumn leaves to shame. The only person who had truly made him feel like he was going to be okay. The person who he wanted to...spend the rest of his life with._

He couldn't imagine life without the red head after having spent so much time with him. Out of all the autumns he's lived through none of them would ever be as special as the one he spent with Mingi in the hospital. This autumn had been full with so many tears and frightening experience but, _he wouldn't trade it for the world. _Even if Mingi was still in the hospital after he was released, he would wait for him.

** _ For Mingi, he would wait a million autumns._ **

"Thank you....so much doctor." The blonde croaked. He could feel his own eye start to get wet and when he switched to gaze as his mother the tears started to flow. "Eomma..."Their eyes locked and she sobbed once again as she skittered over to her son.

"You're going to be okay! You're going to be okay baby!" She sobbed and pulled Yunho in for a hug. The blonde's bottom lip wobbled as he returned the embrace as best as he could. He barley registered when Dr. Kim said 'I'll give you two some alone time' and left the room. "My angel you're going to be okay..." She peppered kisses all over the top of his head as she continued to cry. Yunho body shook as he cried into his mothers chest. 

_For the first time since he had been admitted to the hospital Yunho believed those words._

_ He was going to be okay._

"We...found a donor." It was the day before the procedure when Yunho got the chance to tell Mingi the news.

Mingi's jaw dropped upon hearing Yunho's words. "T-That's amazing Yunho!! I-I...Oh my gosh I don't know what to say! Y-You're getting a new heart!" Mingi would hugged the blonde if he could. "W-Wow I-I....I'm so happy. You're going to be okay!" The red head grinned and Yunho returned the action with a small smile of his own.

"Tomorrow's the surgery..."

Once again Mingi's jaw dropped. "T-Tomorrow?!" Yunho nodded in response. "We'll then I guess that just means I have to spend all of today with you! For good luck of course." Mingi finished with a wink that caused Yunho to giggle quietly. 

"I....I'm nervous....really nervous...." The blonde admitted. He was beyond anxious and scared for the procedure. So many things could go wrong both during the procedure and after. So many things that could end in them being right back where they started or worse. He could easily die during the procedure,** for good this time**. The thought of never seeing his friends and family ever again petrified him. Not too mention the amount of money his mother would owe the hospital after everything was done and-

"I know you are" The red head cut through Yunho's thoughts reached out to interlock their fingers.. "But, you're strong. So strong Yunho. _You're going to be okay."_

_ Yunho wanted to cry. _What had he done to deserve someone as amazing as Song Mingi in his life? He gave the red heads hand a light squeeze.

"W-Will you...hold me..."Yunho said just above a whisper. Mingi smiled at the blonde and slowly pushed himself up and out his wheel chair. On shaky legs he made he stood and it took a bit of effort but, eventually he was in the bed. Mingi gently, to as not disturb Yunho too much, maneuvered them so Yunho's head rested on his chest. He pulled the blonde in close and wrapped his arms around his waist. Yunho sighed and closed his eyes upon feeling the familiar warmth. "Thank you...."He said just above a whisper.

** _ "For you, anything." _ **

The blonde smiled and snuggled closer into Mingi's chest. _Yunho had missed this so much._ Mingi was always so warm. He wasn't warm like Hongjoong was but, warm in a different way. Warm in a way that made him feel like he really was going to be okay and everything would go smoothly. Warm in a way that the autumn leaves left him feeling when he had watched them from the hospital window. _Warm in a way that he felt when he got home after a long day._

They laid in a comfortable silence. Mingi kept one of his arms around Yunho's waist but moved the other so he could play with the blondes hair. Yunho could feel the exhaustion of the day start to take over and he sighed as he adjusted a bit so his ear was directly above where Mingi's heart was. He listened closely for the familiar beat and smiled. Maybe It was because of the struggles he's had with his own heart but, Yunho found Mingi's heartbeat incredibly soothing. It never ceased to lull him to sleep.

"You'll... be there when I wake up...right?..." Yunho said, his voice barley above a whisper. Yunho curled in closer to the red head and listened to his steady heartbeat. Mingi stayed silent, the only sounds in the room were the whirs and buzzes of the machines Yunho was hooked up to. Yunho's eyes grew heavy as he waited for a response. After a few moments Mingi spoke up.

" _Of course. No matter what I will **always** be there for you,_" he whispered and leaned down to press a kiss on the top of Yunho's head. A small sleepy smile graced Yunho's lips and he snuggled closer into Mingi. 

"Pinky promise?..." He raised one of his hands and extend his pinky. 

Mingi laughed softly and reached over to interlock his pinky with Yunho's. "Pinky Promise," He then leaned down and pressed a kiss over their interlocked fingers. "Get some sleep, you have a big day tomorrow." Yunho nodded in response and slowly let his eyes close.

Tomorrow was the day. He would get a new heart and finally be on his way to recovery.

_He would finally start living again._

* * *

* * *

Yunho woke up early the next morning. So early that the sun was barley rising. It was then that he realized Mingi was still peacefully asleep next time, quietly snoring. His arms were tightly wrapped around Yunho's waist and his nose was buried in his blonde locks. Yunho smiled sleepily and snuggled closer into Mingi's chest to listen to the heartbeat that had soothed him to sleep times o'plenty. 

Even though he was about to go into surgery for a procedure that could possibly kill him, Yunho felt at ease. He didn't feel anxious or nervous. It was probably because of Mingi's presence but, the blonde felt _warm_ and _safe. _So much so that he was almost lulled back to sleep by Mingi's gentle heartbeat until the red head started to stir.

Mingi kept an arm wrapped around Yunho as he stretched out his other one. He arched his back and it popped loudly as he yawned. "Good morning," Yunho croaked. Mingi glanced down at the blonde and smiled, wrapping both his arms around him once again and pulling him close.

"Morning. We really need to do this more often, I haven't slept that good in a loonnnnnngggg time." Yunho couldn't agree more. His nights spent with Mingi were always the nights when he had gotten the best sleep. The blonde giggled in response and reached up, pinching a piece of Mingi's hair in between his fingers and twirling it around.

"Your hair's fading." He whispered and true to his word it was. It wasn't the same vibrant red he was used to seeing rather, it was more of a muted red, almost orange. 

"Took it long enough. I thought it would never fade." The blonde giggled and released Mingi's hair. 

"You look like a big tomato now."

"H-Hey! Who are you calling tomato you...old man!" Mingi playfully huffed before the pair broke out into giggles. 

A knock at the door caught the pair's attention and they both looked towards it. There stood Nurse Jane and she smiled at them as she rolled a wheel chair into the room. Yunho glanced at the clock and furrowed his brows in confusion. He wasn't supposed to go into surgery for another two hours so why was nurse Jane here? "Mingi-ssi it's time for your check up! Are you ready?" The red head nodded in response and Yunho frowned. He was hoping to have spent more time with Mingi before his procedure. 

The red head turned to the blonde and chuckled as he reached out to gently grabbed Yunho's chin. He turned his face to face him and grinned. "Hey what's with the long face? I know, I was hoping to spend more time together too but, think of it this way. When you wake up you're going to finally be better. It's gonna be a new start for you and you'll be able to get out of here and pursue all those big dreams of yours! You'll be able to get back to dancing and go to university and really start _living._" Mingi leaned in until there foreheads touched and looked Yunho directly in the eyes. "You're gonna finally start living again. You're going to be free of this Yunho." He said with a smile.

Yunho looked deep into Mingi's brown eyes and for the first time that morning he felt anxious. It was all starting to settle in, _this was really happening. _"I'm scared...." He said just above a whisper. He was scared of never seeing those deep brown eyes or red hair again. Of never hearing that bright laughter or deep voice. Mingi hummed and began to gently stroke Yunho's chin with his thumb.

"I know you are but, everything is going to be okay and have I ever lied?"

"Plenty of times." Mingi held a hand up to his chest and gasped dramatically as the blonde giggled quietly. Eventually his chuckles joined Yunho's giggles and he took the hand on his chest and places it over Yunho's.

"It's going to be okay. _You're going to be okay._ When you wake up I'll be waiting there right with you." The red head adjusted their hands so their pinkies were locked now. "I did pinky promise after all."

Yunho looked down at there joined pinkies and smiled. He squeezed Mingi's pinky with his and the red head returned the gesture. "Thank you Mingi."

The look in Mingi's eyes was different this time. It was softer and filled with an emotion Yunho couldn't really put his finger on. They...._looked like Seonghwa's._ They looked just like Seonghwa's whenever he would look at Yeosang. So full of care, adoration, and...._love. _"For you, _anything._" He whispered. There was so many thing Yunho wanted to tell Mingi in that moment. So many emotions he wanted to let it out but, in the end he just tightly hugged the red head. Mingi hugged him just as tight, if not tighter. 

Yunho looked up at the red head when they pulled away and was shocked when he realized Mingi was...crying? "M-Ming?...."

"I...I'm just happy. I'm so happy." The red head sniffled and pulled Yunho into a hug once again. "So happy." He whispered and planted a kiss to the top of Yunho's head. The blonde snuggled close, not wanting to ever let go. Nurse jane clearing her throat being the only reason that they pulled away.

Once they separated nurse Jane took Mingi away for his check up. Not long after his mother showed up and they ate breakfast together. When it came time for his procedure she peppered him in kisses and told him that she'd be right there when he woke up . Her eye's were teary as she spoke but, she didn't shed tear. She wanted to be strong for her son and show that she had complete and utter faith in the procedure being successful.

As Yunho was taken into the operating room his heart was going a mile a minute. So many thought ran through his head and a knot formed in his stomach. He was placed onto a gurney and wheeled into the room. _What if he died during the surgery? What if in the end they cant prefom it for some reason? What if a new heart didn't help? What if-_

**_"You're going to be okay...."_**

Mingi's words echoed through his head. He couldn't be scared,_ not now._ One of the nursed put the oxygen mask on him and hooked him up to an I.V as they start administrating the anesthesia. He had to be strong. Mingi was waiting for him and he couldn't let him down. 

Yunho could feel the anesthesia start to take affect. His eyes grew heavy and he could hardly hear anything. He glanced blearily around the room as keeping his eyes open became a struggle.

_Mingi._

It only took a few for moments for him to be engulfed in darkness.

_Wait for me._

* * *

* * *

_Cold._

_ Yunho felt cold. _

_ Dark,_

_ He couldn't see a thing._

_ Numb._

_ He couldn't feel anything._

_ It felt as though he didn't exist anymore. He was just floating in a cold darkness. _

_ One thing he could feel was the fear starting to creep up in him. Was he...dead? Had he died during surgery? Yunho's ears started to ring and he could feel the tell tale prickle of tears in his eyes._ _This__ was it. He really was dead. He had almost won the fight against his heart but, in the end he lost. Just like the autumn leaves he was wilting and becoming nothing._

_ He couldn't tell whether he was crying or not. He couldn't feel a thing. _

_ This was really the end. He wouldn't be graduating with his friends later on in the year or following his dreams of studying dance abroad. He wouldn't be opening his dance studio. He would never see Hongjoong or Jongho or any of his friends ever again. He would never see his mom again, never taste her cooking, never hug her._

_ He would never see Mingi again._

_ Yunho would never see those bright red locks or hear Mingi's loud laughter ever again. No more playing games together and watching cheesy dramas on the hospital tv. No more cuddling together, He would never be able to tell Mingi how he really felt. Never get the chance to kiss him and hold him in ways that weren't platonic. He would never get the chance to tell him 'I love you' and go on cheesy little dates together. _

_ Even if he couldn't feel it, he was pretty sure he was bawling his eyes out right now. _

_ He was alone, forever. He would never see any of his loved ones again. Yunho was dead._

_ Suddenly, the blonde heard something. It was faint but, he was positive it was there. It sounded like...waves? Like waves hitting the shore. The sound of waves grew louder and he could feel the seabreeze against his skin. He could smell and taste the salt in the air._ _Slowly, he started to see **light. **_

_Yunho reached up and rubbed his eyes. When he removed his hands he involuntarily squinted as he was met with the bright sunlight. After a while he realized he was laying on the sand, his bare feet just barley being grazed by the incoming waves. The blonde pushed him self up into a sitting position and looked around his new found surroundings. The sand was white and the water was crystal clear. Even though it was sunny out it wasn't hot, it felt fresh and even a little cold. It was then that he realized he wasn't in his hospital gown, now being dressed in a plain white long sleeve shirt and light blue jeans that were cuffed._

_ "What?...Where...am I?" _

_ Yunho crawled closer to the water and sat on his knees right at the edge and looked down into it. He could see how his eyes were red from crying and the dried tear tracks on his cheeks. He cupped his hands and lowered them into the water. The water was warm. It was warm and comforting, just like Mingi. He closed his eyes splashed the water onto his face and used his sleeves the dry off the excess. When he opened his eyes he was met with another pair of eyes in the water. A very familiar pair of eyes that were paired with bright red hair._

_ Yunho immediately whipped his head around and there, standing behind him, was Mingi. He was dressed almost identically to Yunho except he had a short sleeve shirt instead. He also had a braid in his hair that was addorned with little gold rings. Yunho stared up at the red head with wide eyes and slowly reached hand out towards Mingi. The red head smiled and accepted the hand and helped Yunho to his feet. Yunho stumbled forward a bit and braced his hand against MIngi's chest to keep from falling, Mingi in turned held onto Yunho's waist. _

_ The pair stared at each other in silence, the only sound being the gentle crash of waves._

_ Yunho wasn't alone. Mingi was here. Mingi was here with him. The blonde's bottom lip trembled and he tightly wrapped his arms aound Mingi's neck. "M-Mingi!" He sobbed out and burried his face into Mingi's neck. "Y-You're h-here! Y-You're-" A loud sob cut him off and he held tighter onto Mingi. Mingi nuzzled the top of Yunho's head and sighed into the blonde locks. He kept one hand on Yunho's waist and with the other he rubbed soothing little circles into his back._

_ "It's okay, it's okay. I'm here." He said quietly as the blonde continued to cry into his neck. Mingi's familiar sweet woodsy scent engulfed Yunho and his steady heartbeat was all he could here. He didn't know why he was crying. Was it because of fear? Loneliness? Relief? It didn't really matter, the only thing that mattered was that Mingi was here with him. After a few minutes Yunho's sobs retreated with little sniffles being left in their place. Even though the Yunho had stop crying the pair still tightly held on to each other._

_ It was then that he was met with a horrifying revelation. He was dead. **He was dead and Mingi was here**. "M-Mingi! H-How are you here !? No... you can't be dead too!" Yunho could feel his eyes tear up once again and he looked up towards Mingi. The red head’s eyes met with Yunho's and his brows furrowed._

_ "Huh? Uhhh Yunho what are you talking about?"_

_ "I'm dead! And you're here! Th-that can only mean that...you're dead too...." How? How did Mingi die? He was doing just fine and there was no signs of his condition, which was still a mystery to Yunho, worsening. Mingi couldn't be dead he co-._

_ He was cut off by Mingi giggling. This time it was Yunho who furrowed his brows. "Mingi! This isn't something you should laugh about!" Yunho squirmed his was free from the red heads grip and crossed his arms over his chest. "This is serious! We're de-"_

_ "Oh Yunho you always jump to conclusions." Mingi said in between his giggles and Yunho pouted. "S-Sorry but it's just so funny when you overreact. "He grinned towards Yunho. "We're not dead Yunho. You're dreaming....or I think so? I don't know but, you're not dead...or at least I hope not? Yah! Let's just drop the whole dead thing and enjoy ourselves, we have a whole beach to ourselves!" Mingi exclaimed and grabbed Yunho's hand, pulling the blonde along as he walked into the water._

_ Yunho stumbled behind Mingi a bit as he pulled him along the shore, the water just deep enough to reach their ankles. He felt like every stereotypical couple in every romance movie ever. Taking a long walk on the beach with no on else there in cute matching outfits with perfect weather. Once it really hit him on how much of a couple thing this was Yunho's cheeks flushed a pretty pink and he was glad that he was trailing along behind Mingi so the red head wouldn't see. _

_ "You know I don't know if I ever told you but, when I was younger I used to be obsessed with pirates. I would always make Seonghwa take me to the beach to go look for treasure because I was certain I would find it." Mingi slowed his pace a bit letting Yunho catch up then, properly interlocked his fingers with the blondes. Yunho's flush darkened and he could feel his heart rate increase. "I would always watch pirate movies and read books about them and was dead set on one day becoming a 'pirate king.' I even used to wear a eyepatch so I could be more piratey and made it my life goal to find treasure." Mingi chuckled and turned back to look at Yunho._

_ The pair locked eyes and Mingi walked closer to Yunho until they were only a few inches apart. "Little did I know it would take me 18 years and a transfer to a hospital in Korea to find my treasure." Mingi whispered and leaned in until his forehead was touching Yunho's and interlocked his other hand with the blonde's._

_ "M-Mingi...." Yunho could feel his heartbeat in his throat as he looked eyes with Mingi._

_ Mingi smiled and leaned in more until their noses touched. "Do you want to know what the treasure ended up being?" Yunho gulped and slowly nodded his head. Slowly Mingi leaned in until the gap that separated their lips was no more. Mingi's lips were warm and so very soft that Yunho couldn't help but melt into the kiss. His eyes fluttered shut and he sighed in content. He had kissed multiple times with Mingi in his dreams but no of those kisses compared to this one. It was so simple, a mere peck on the lips, but it made Yunho feel like there was fireworks going off in his stomach. This kiss was so full of emotion and warmth that it made Yunho feel like the jelly. After a few seconds Mingi pulled away and Yunho resisted the urge to whine. "You. You are my treasure Yunho."_

_ Yunho pulled his hands away from Mingi's and draped his arms around the other males neck. Rather then responding with words the blonde responded by pressing his lips to Mingi's once again. Mingi smiled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around Yunho's waist. Their lips slotted perfectly against each other. After a few moments Mingi gently bit on Yunho's bottom lip causing the blonde to gasp as little sparks went through his body. Mingi took that as his chance to slip his tongue into Yunho's mouth._

_ Yunho whimper and relished in the attention as he let Mingi take control of the kiss. Little quivers ran through his body and Mingi groaned into the kiss. The pair only separated when the need for air became too much, a thin trail of saliva still connecting their lips. They stared at each other as they panted with flushed faces and small satisfied smiles. "Wow....." Yunho said breathlessly and rested his head on Mingi's shoulder with a sigh. "Mingi...I love you..." He whispered and closed his eyes._

_ He couldn't think of anywhere else he'd rather be than here in Mingi's arms with the only sounds being the gentle crash of the waves. _

_ "I love you too. More than anything." Mingi tightened his hold on Yunho's waist. "Who knew I was gonna fall for a guy who's hair is the same color as a eighty year old man." Yunho playfully smacked Mingi's back and Mingi laughed in response. He then pulled away from the embrace and moved out of the water to take a seat on the shore. Mingi spread his legs and patted the space in between them signaling for Yunho to sit which the blonde gladly did. _

_ He sat in-between Mingi's legs and rested his head on Mingi's chest, which at this point was Yunho's personal pillow. The incoming waves just barley grazed their toes and Yunho giggled as they did. " I hope we get to do something like this in real life once all this hospital stuff is over with." Mingi hummed in response and rested his chin atop Yunho's head. _

_ "I hope so too. I want to see how you look in something other than that hospital gown, not that you don't look stunning because you could probably make a plastic bag look like it came of a runway from Paris fashion week. Just don't let Seonghwa know I said that because I'll never hear the end of it if he does." Yunho giggled and after that the two fell into a comfortable silence. Mingi sat there watching the sea and Yunho had his eyes closed as he listened to the heartbeat he had gotten so accustomed to._

_ Just as Yunho started to fall asleep a faint ringing began to resonate in Yunho's ears and when he looked up at Mingi with a confused look on his face he realized that it was brighter outside now._ _ "Guess it's time for you to wake up now." Yunho sighed and snuggled closer into the red head. Their surroundings started to get brighter as the seconds went by._

_ "Guess it is, I'll see you when I wake up then." Yunho leaned up to press a kiss on Mingi's jaw. " And when I do I'll tell the real life you how I feel too." Yunho's ears started to ring more as it got even brighter out. He sat up in front of Mingi and reached out with both his hands to hold Mingi's. Mingi glowed in the bright light and his hair looked like so bright it almost hurt Yunho's eyes. _

_ Mingi smiled and leaned in to give Yunho a quick peck on the lips. " Yunho, I love you and-" Yunho wasn't able to hear the rest of what Mingi said due to the ringing in his ears increasing. He watched as the other spoke and finished with a small smile, a single tear then rolled down his cheek. Yunho frowned and opened his mouth to ask why Mingi was crying but, before he could the pair were engulfed in the bright light._

Yunho could hear sounds. He heard beeps, buzzes, and whirs. _He felt so cold and heavy and there was almost an uncomfortable pressure in his chest. _A bright light was seeping through the cracks of his eyes and his throat felt scratchy and dry. The blonde's fingers twitched and he could feel the familiar hospital sheets beneath them. 

After a few seconds Yunho's eyes slowly opened and he was met with the bright hospital lights. His whole body felt sore, especially his chest,and felt like it weighed a million pounds. He felt beyond lethargic, like if he had been asleep for a million years. Not to mention the breathing tube inserted in wasn't really comfortable either, especially with how thirsty he was. The only sound in the room came from the various machines they had him hooked up to.

_He was alive. The surgery had been a success._

Or at least from what he could tell it was, he wouldn't truly know whether or not it had worked until after a few weeks of recovery. Once his eyes adjusted a bit to the light he blearily gazed around the room. It was empty but, there had been signs that people had been there seeing as there was a couple of coats draped on the back of some of the visitors chairs. One of the coats looked suspiciously like the denim jacket Hongjoong had reformed by painting a ship sailing through the sky on the back. So his friends and family were there, they just weren't currently in the room with him.

It was then that he noticed the large amount of flowers, bears, and cards that were piled in the corner of the room and a small weak smile made it way onto his lips. There was balloons and flowers of every color and bears of every size, one of them was so big it literally took up the whole corner and was probably taller than Yunho. However, out of the gifts one in particular caught his attention. He glanced towards the bed side table on there sat a small black box with a white ribbon wrapped around it. Next to the box was a light pink envelope that had Yunho's name in it and the way it was written looked exactly like Mingi's handwriting. His stomach did little flips as he thought of the red head. 

Yunho was finally going to tell Mingi how he truly felt and the thought both scared and excited him. However, being on the brink of death really showed him just how valuable life is and it would be meaningless if he didn't take any risks. He was given a second chance and he was going to live life to the fullest. He was ready to start a new life and...hopefully Mingi would be a part of it.

A click caught his attention and Yunho switched his gaze towards the door. 

Nurse Jane entered the room with a clipboard in hand. She was looking down intently at it as she made her way over to Yunho's bed. She sighed once she reached the bed and finally looked up at Yunho and when she realized he was awake his eyes widened like saucers. "Y-Yunho-ssi you're finally awake!! Oh my goodness you were out for almost three days we were scared you'd never wake up! Oh my let me go get the doctor right away so you can see your family as soon as possible!" A smile so bright it shadowed the bright white hospital lights was plastered on her lips as she spoke. Once she finished nurse jane quickly skittered out of the room to retrieve the doctor.

After a few moments Nurse Jane entered the room again, this time Dr. Kim trailed behind her. The duo made their way to over to Yunho. " Hello Yunho-ssi! My, my, my let me tell you we are all beyond ecstatic to see you finally awake. How are you feeling? Any pain anywhere?" Dr. Kim asked him as she went around checking the various machines and monitors. Yunho slowly shook his head as best as he could, not really being able to speak with the breathing tube still inserted in him. " Well I'm glad to hear it! I'm just going to ask you a few more questions while nurse Jane checks your vitals and once were done well bring your family in!" She said with a grin.

They removed the breathing tube (which actually wasn't as bad as Yunho thought it was going to be) seeing as Yunho didn't really help breathing anymore and then proceeded to ask him question. At first miscellaneous little things such as what his name was and if he knew where he was. Simple questions just to make sure he hadn't suffered any memory loss. It took him a little while but he managed to answer them without flaw. They also asked him things such as how his chest felt, was he able to breath easily, how was his eye sight, hearing, and if he felt pain in any part of his body. 

"Well, you see perfectly fine so I don't see no reason why to make your family wait any longer!" Dr. Kim said with a smile and Yunho returned the gesture as best as he could.

"Thank....you doc...tor" The blonde croaked and the doctor reached out to give his shoulder a light squeeze.

"Of course, let me tell you they're all going to be beyond ecstatic to know your okay. Your mother hasn't left the hospital since the day you go out of surgery and your friends would stop by every day after school and stay as long as they could to see if you'd wake up. You really are lucky to have them. "She gave Yunho another squeeze and with that Dr. Kim and nurse Jane left the room. 

With that Yunho was once again left alone in the hospital room. He couldn't wait to see everyone, to let them know that he was okay and was going to be okay. His closed his eyes and sighed. _He was going to be_ okay. 

A click one again drew his attention to the door.

The first person who entered, _burst in_, was his mother. She stood at the door for a few moments and stared at Yunho with wide eyes. Yunho's eyes met hers and he could feel himself start to tear up. A small smile made it was onto his face and he reached out her hand towards her as best as he could. "E-Eomma…" A slur of emotions flashed past her eyes upon hearing her sons voice. She couldn't help but sob as tears bubbled up in her eyes. 

_Yunho was awake and he was okay._

"Oh my baby!!!" She screeched as she skittered her way over to Yunho's bed side. As soon as she reached the blonde she tightly cradled his head to her chest and peppered the top of his head with tons of kisses. "My sweet, sweet Yunho I thought we were going to lose you! I-I don't know what I'd do with myself if I had lost you!!" She buried her face into Yunho's hair as she continued to cry. Yunho wanted desperately to hold her but, he could barley move his arms with how weak he felt. So he did the best he could and snuggled closer into her as a few stray tears fell from his eyes. His mothers familiar sweet scent invaded his nostrils,_ she smelled like home. _

_ He had really survived the surgery._ The road to recovery would be long and he'd have to work extra hard to catch up with his studies but, none of that matter right now. The only thing that mattered was that he was alive and fortunate enough to have received a new heart.

After a few more minutes of crying his mother pulled away just enough so she could comfortably cup Yunho's face with both her hands. She gently rubbed his cheeks with her thumbs and brushed away any tears. "My beautiful baby boy. My sweet, sweet baby. My ray of sunshine. My little bear....How dare you scare your mother like that!" She puffed her cheeks out and looked at Yunho with mock anger in her eyes. A dry quiet giggled escaped the blondes chapped lips and he mom's giggles soon joined his. She leaned down and planted kisses all over the blonde's face. Yunho whined feebly but, the whole time a smile was plastered on his face.

"Yunho!" _Hongjoong?_

Yunho switched his gaze from his mother to where the voice had came from. There in the door way stood all his friends. Hongjoong, Jongho, Wooyoung, San, and even Seonghwa and Yeosang were there. The fact that the pair had made time from their busy schedules to come visit Yunho made the blonde's heart feel all warm and fuzzy. The group made their way over to Yunho's bed and stood on either side of his bed. Yunho could feel his eyes start to tear up again at the sight of his friends.

"Y-You idiot! H-How co-could you scare us like that!" Hongjoong said in between choked sobs. Yunho smiled and reached a hand out to the red head who immediately accepted it and held it tightly. "D-Don't you ever do that again!" He said as he continued to cry. All of his friends were in a similar state, either crying or on the verge of crying. However, they were tears of relief and happiness.

"You're really okay...You had no clue how worried you had us..." Seonghwa sniffled and rubbed his eyes in attempt to hide his tears. Yeosang on the other hand was openly crying and holding onto Yunho's other hand just as tight as Hongjoong. Yunho gave both their hands a light squeeze. 

"W-we thought you'd never wake up..." Wooyoung whispered as he too wiped tears from his eyes. "It was so scary....but you woke up! We all knew you would!"

"H-Hey I...It's me were talking about...of course id wake up...I can barley sit still for 5 minutes..." He finished with a dry weak giggle. _Damn, he really needed some water._

"Guess you really are a golden retriever." San said in between his sniffles. He was still crying but, a smile started to make its away on his face. He then took his precious plush, Shiber, and set it on Yunho's lap. "S-Shiber always helps me feel better when I'm sick so I'm gonna let you borrow him for now s-so you can hurry up and get better....but, you better take care of him!" Yunho would've cooed if he could. San was always such a cute little thing, like a little brother.

"You better hurry up and get better hyung because I'll give it two days before Sannie is whining and crying about how he misses Shiber." San pouted at Jongho and the maknae just snickered. Yunho gave another weak giggle and after that the room fell into a comfortable silence...for a few seconds that was. 

"You're treating me to chicken after put me through all this stress..." Hongjoong mumbled with a pout and everyone including Yunho laughed.

His mother watched from his side, nothing but fondness filled her eyes. She was so happy her son had such good friends. They were basically like the siblings he never had and the thought almost brought a tear to her eye. She remembered how on the second day after Yunho's procedure she found the boys all asleep and huddled close together on the small hospital sofa. They had stayed the whole day at the hospital and even ate dinner there. The only reason they left was because the hospital staff made them. 

_She was just as thankful for these boys as Yunho was. _

His mother had moved to sit in the chair directly next to his bed, her hand tightly wrapped around his. Seonghwa and Yeosang took seats on the chairs against the wall and his friends stayed standing. The group of boys chatted and laughed about random little things. The whole time Yunho felt a feeling that he hadn't felt in a long time.

_Relief. He felt relieved._

It was all over, or hopefully it was. He had survived to get a new heart and beaten his cardiomyopathy. _It was a new start for him. _His journey was far from over but, as long as he had his friends and mom by his_ side he'd be okay. _

_However_, something felt like it was missing or rather, _someone was missing. _Mingi wasn't there. He gazed around the room just to make sure he didn't somehow miss him. There was no bright red hair in the room, no giant grin, no laughter so bright it could light up a room. _Mingi wasn't there. _Yunho frowned and his brows furrowed. Maybe Mingi was just resting? Or was having test done on him? Yunho tried to convince himself that it was nothing and that Mingi was also a patient at the hospital who had needs but, the more he tried the sadder he felt that his friend was there.

"Wh..Where's...Min...gi.…" Yunho barley managed to croak out. His lips were dry and cracked and his mouth felt tacky. The room instantly fell silent upon hearing his question, the only noise being the steady beeps that came from Yunho's heart monitor. No one spoke, almost as if they were all waiting for someone else to answer first. He felt his mother squeeze his hand tighter and he turned his gaze towards her. Their eye met and he could feel knots form in his stomach when he met her glossy tear filled eyes. Her bottom lip trembled and she opened her mouth to speak but, in the end she choked on a sob and clapped her free hand over her mouth. She shook her head as fresh tears welled in her eyes. 

**_No._**

Yunho's stomach sank and as he gazed around the room he realized everyone was in a similar state. Just a few minutes ago they were all happy and talking animatidly, what had happened? San clutched Shiber tightly to his chest and Wooyoung held San just as tight. Yunho could see the tears in their eyes. Hongjoong was silently crying into Jongho's chest and the younger held him as he did so, biting his lip in attempt to hold back his own tears. _None of them could meet his gaze._

** _Mingi said he'd be there when he woke up._**

After a few moments Seonghwa cleared his throat and Yunho instantly snapped his gaze towards him. Now that he was really looking at him Yunho noticed just how disheveled the usually well put together male was. The normally clean cut expensive looking well dressed male looked as though he hadn't slept in days. His eyes were red and had bags under them, his hair looked a bit greasy, and he looked paler than usual. His usual fashion forward high end clothing was replaced with a large hoodie and sweatpants. Yeosang was in a similar state and it was strange and worrying to see the couple like this. Seonghwa and Yeosang were the type of couple who could walk into a room and easily be the center of attention but, right now they looked so...._broken._

Seonghwa's bottom lip wobbled and Yeosang's heart wrenching muffled sobs filled the silence. His face was buried in Seonghwa's arm and he held onto him for dear life. _Almost as if he was scared that he would lose him. _Yunho could hear his hearbeat in his ears as his nerves started to sky rocket. 

_ **He had promised.**_

Seonghwa shakily exhaled then, opened his mouth to speak. He sat there with his mouth open for a few seconds as if contemplating what to say. Yunho waited anxiously for his response but, instead he closed his mouth and took a deep breath before gently prying Yeosang off his arm. He stood up and made his way over to Yunho, tears rolling down his cheeks as he did so. Once he reached the blonde he shut his eyes tightly then, _without a word, he very gently placed a hand over Yunho's bandaged chest._

Yunho's wail echoed throughout the hospital's hall. **_Mingi had broken his promise._**

** Outside, the first snow of the year began.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo that happened, please don't hate me! The next chapter uploaded will be the last one and good news is that it's already a third of the way done! It's gonna feature a lot of things through Mingi's pov as well as finally answer the question of why Mingi was in the hospital.👀 However, please understand if it does take a while, hopefully not as long as it did for this chapter though( lets just say I need to get better at saving my work💀🤡). Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed and as always comments and Kudos are appreciated! Thank you all so much for your support! ❤️ ❤️


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